"of or pertaining to China," 1570s, from China + -ese. As a noun from c. 1600. Chinee (n.) is a vulgar back-formation from this word on the mistaken notion that Chinese is a plural. As an adjective, Chinian, Chinish also were used 16c. Chinese fire-drill "chaotic situation of many people rushing around futilely" is attested by 1962, U.S. military slang, perhaps with roots in World War II U.S. Marine Corps slang. The game Chinese-checkers is attested from 1938. Chinese-lantern is from 1825.

dark variety of Chinese tea, 1844, from Chinese wu-lung, literally "black dragon."

Chinese dish, 1885, American English, from Chinese (Cantonese dialect) tsap sui "odds and ends, miscellaneous bits." A Cantonese dish brought to the U.S. West Coast by Chinese immigrants.

before vowels Sin-, word-forming element meaning "Chinese," 1879, from Late Latin Sinæ (plural) "the Chinese," from Ptolemaic Greek Sinai, from Arabic Sin "China," probably from Chinese Ch'in, name of the fourth dynasty of China (see China).

"in Chinese fashion," French chiné, past participle of chiner "to color in Chinese fashion," from Chine "China" (see China).