mandarin
mandarin — noun
- mandarinsingular
- mandarinsplural
1. a small citrus fruit, usually sweeter than many oranges, with thin skin that is
a small citrus fruit, usually sweeter than many oranges, with thin skin that is easy to remove, or the tree that bears it
Tomás packed two mandarins in his lunch box for the ferry ride.
pack mandarins in a lunch box
A bowl of mandarins brightened the kitchen table during Lunar New Year.
Élise peeled a mandarin while waiting outside the clinic.
The old mandarin tree dropped fruit onto Bao's bicycle seat.
- mandarin orange
a fuller name that makes the citrus sense completely explicit
- tangerine
often names a deeper-orange, easy-peeling type within the mandarin group
- clementine
usually a very sweet, often seedless variety sold as a type of mandarin
文法句型
peel a mandarin
a bowl of mandarins
mandarin tree
用法筆記
In everyday English this usually names the fruit. If you want to make the plant clear, speakers often say mandarin tree.
常見錯誤
2. the standard variety of Chinese used as an official language in China and also w
the standard variety of Chinese used as an official language in China and also widely used in Singapore
Anjali started learning Mandarin after her company opened a Shanghai office.
learn Mandarin
The station announcements switched from English to Mandarin before the train left.
switch from English to Mandarin
Jisoo speaks Mandarin with suppliers during the video meeting each Tuesday.
The museum printed every children's guide in Mandarin and Malay.
- Standard Chinese
a more explanatory term often used in formal description
- Putonghua
the mainland Chinese name for the standard language
- Guoyu
a name used in Taiwan for the standard form of Chinese
文法句型
learn Mandarin
speak Mandarin
Mandarin class
用法筆記
This sense usually means the standard spoken form used in schools, media, and official settings, not every Chinese variety such as Cantonese or Hokkien.
常見錯誤
3. a senior state official, especially one in imperial China or in a powerful burea
a senior state official, especially one in imperial China or in a powerful bureaucracy
Court mandarins argued over tax rules before the emperor arrived.
court mandarins
The memo was written for senior mandarins in the finance ministry.
senior mandarins in
New trade laws pleased the party mandarins but angered market sellers.
Rania mocked the mandarins who kept delaying repairs to the village road.
- bureaucrat
a broader word for an official working within a large administrative system
- official
a neutral general term without the same historical or critical tone
- functionary
more formal and often suggests a narrow, procedural role
文法句型
senior mandarins
party mandarins
civil service mandarins
用法筆記
Often used critically in modern English for officials seen as remote or overly powerful, not just as a neutral historical title.
常見錯誤
4. a respected and influential figure in the arts, writing, or other intellectual l
a respected and influential figure in the arts, writing, or other intellectual life
Newspaper mandarins dismissed the young poet before her first book sold.
newspaper mandarins
The festival invited several literary mandarins to judge the final prize.
literary mandarins
For years, the city's art mandarins ignored street painters from the harbor.
Critics called Dahlia a mandarin of food writing after her third bestseller.
- arbiter
stresses the power to judge what counts as good or important
- gatekeeper
highlights control over who gets access or recognition
- tastemaker
focuses more on shaping public preference and fashion
文法句型
literary mandarins
art mandarins
a mandarin of criticism
用法筆記
Usually appears in journalism or criticism. It often suggests a gatekeeper who helps decide whose work gets attention.
常見錯誤
mandarin — adjective
- mandarinpositive
- more mandarincomparative
- most mandarinsuperlative
1. connected with high officials, or showing the formal habits associated with them
connected with high officials, or showing the formal habits associated with them
The report vanished into mandarin offices before anyone repaired the bridge.
mandarin offices
Christopher's mandarin manner made junior staff too nervous to ask questions.
mandarin manner
Voters were tired of the party's mandarin style and stiff ceremonies.
The novel mocks mandarin habits such as servants, seals, and long speeches.
- bureaucratic
a broader everyday word for rule-heavy official behavior
- official
more neutral and not always critical
- high-handed
adds the idea of arrogance or disregard for others
文法句型
mandarin manner
mandarin offices
mandarin habits
用法筆記
Often carries criticism. It suggests distance, ceremony, or a top-down way of dealing with people.
2. using language that sounds polished but also heavy, decorative, and hard to foll
using language that sounds polished but also heavy, decorative, and hard to follow
The review mocked his mandarin prose for hiding simple ideas under decoration.
mandarin prose
Students cut the mandarin wording so the leaflet sounded direct and clear.
mandarin wording
Her speech became too mandarin once every sentence carried three Latin phrases.
The editor asked for plainer verbs because the first draft sounded mandarin.
- ornate
describes rich decoration in style without always implying difficulty
- flowery
often criticizes writing for using too many decorative words
- grandiloquent
a stronger formal word for language that sounds overly lofty
文法句型
mandarin prose
mandarin wording
sound mandarin
用法筆記
Usually used critically. It describes writing that sounds grand or cultured but may hide a simple point.