Chinese Loanwords in English - Statistics

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This quiz has been taken 58 times
The average score is 13 of 29

Answer Stats

	Hint	Answer	% Correct
Misc.	Chinese concept of two opposed but intertwined entities. The symbol is well known.	yin-yang	90%
Misc.	Large, round-bottomed pan used for stir-frying.	wok	82%
Misc.	A Chinese game with tiles.	mahjong	80%
Misc.	Life energy or force usually in context of traditional medicine or martial arts. In Chinese, this word can also mean 'breath' or 'gas'.	chi	76%
Misc.	An expensive and soft textile. From Greek sērikos, which may be derived from the Old Chinese word (sī in modern Mandarin).*	silk	76%
Misc.	† Hokkien. Drink by soaking leaves of a certain plant in hot water.	tea	70%
Misc.	A term for Chinese martial arts, usually unarmed. Also a genre of movie with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.	kung fu	66%
Misc.	Something in the middle of a martial art, dancing, yoga and exercise. Frequently done in large groups of old people outside.	tai chi	62%
Food and Drink	Informal word for food. When repeated, also a breed of dog.	chow	58%
Food and Drink	Cantonese. Literal meaning: white vegetable; in fact the stems are white but the leaves are green. It is related to cabbage and it has a mild flavor.	bok choy	52%
Food and Drink	Various small portions of food, such as dumplings, served as brunch together with †, especially in Cantonese cuisine. Thought to mean 'to touch the heart'.	dim sum	48%
Food and Drink	Hokkien. Originally, a sort of fish sauce. The word was adopted into Malay, where it means soy sauce. In the West, a savory sauce made of tomatoes.*	ketchup	42%
Misc.	To bow with the head all the way to the ground.	kowtow	42%
Misc.	Repeated syllable used to express that you want somebody to hurry up.	chop-chop	40%
Misc.	Hokkien. Freely translated, 'man root'. A valuable plant used for cooking and traditional medicine.	ginseng	40%
Food and Drink	Thick glazy dark brown sauce from Cantonese cuisine. It means 'seafood' even though it contains no seafood ingredient nor is it served with that.	hoisin	40%
Food and Drink	A fruit with a tough pink skin and sweet white flesh.	lychee	38%
Food and Drink	Cantonese. An orange citrus fruit not much bigger than a grape, that is eaten whole.	kumquat	36%
Food and Drink	A type of berry, usually dried, marketed as a superfood. In China, they are sometimes added to †. Also known as wolfberry.	goji	32%
Misc.	Informal term which means 'overly enthusiastic'. Popularized by a US brigadier general stationed in China before WW2, from a Chinese phrase meaning 'to work together'.	gung ho	32%
Calque (a literal word-for-word translation)	Dish of vegetables in a pancake wrapper, which can be deep fried. Its name derives from the fact that it's traditionally eaten with Chinese New Year.	spring roll	28%
Calque (a literal word-for-word translation)	A military strategy where a receding army destroys all resources to starve the pursuing enemy. For example during Napoleon's expedition into Russia.	scorched earth	26%
Food and Drink	Cantonese barbecued pork (usually shoulder or belly) with a sweet, red glaze.	char siu	24%
Calque (a literal word-for-word translation)	Two-word expression, meaning something that looks powerful but is harmless, or an empty threat. One of the two words is an animal.	paper tiger	24%
Calque (a literal word-for-word translation)	To profoundly persuade people of a certain set of beliefs, even when obviously wrong, by extended and repeated exposure to propaganda. Entered the English language in the Korean War.	brainwash	22%
Calque (a literal word-for-word translation)	Two-word expression that means to experience humiliation or dishonor.	lose face	16%
Misc.	Type of † between black and green. It means 'black dragon'.	oolong	16%
Misc.	Chinese version of an astronaut.	taikonaut	14%
Food and Drink	An aromatic rhizome (rootstalk) used in Southeast Asia, for example in tom kha kai. Possibly derived, via Sanskrit, from the placename Gaoliang.*	galangal	6%

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