Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·Chinese ·1950s
Cheongsam
from 長衫 (chèuhng sāam)
- Meaning
- A long close-fitting Chinese dress.
- Source word
- 長衫 (chèuhng sāam)
- Route into English
- Cantonese *chèuhng sāam* ("long shirt") → English via Hong Kong and 20th-century fashion journalism. In Mandarin the same garment is called *qípáo*.
- Arrived
- 1950s
From Chinese
Trade English from the South China Sea ports (especially Hokkien-speaking Xiamen and Canton) seeded the early borrowings; 20th-century diplomacy and military contact added the rest.
English borrows.
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