china: Meaning and Definition of

chi•na

Pronunciation: (chī'nu), [key]
— n.
  1. a translucent ceramic material, biscuit-fired at a high temperature, its glaze fired at a low temperature.
  2. any porcelain ware.
  3. plates, cups, saucers, etc., collectively.
  4. figurines made of porcelain or ceramic material, collectively: a collection of china.
  5. a playing marble of china, or sometimes of porcelain or glass.
—adj.
  1. made of china.
  2. indicating the twentieth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary. See table under

Chi•na

Pronunciation: (chī'nu), [key]
— n.
  1. a country in E Asia. 1,008,175,288; 3,691,502 sq. mi. (9,560,990 sq. km). Cap.: Beijing.
  2. Also calleda republic consisting mainly of the island of Taiwan off the SE coast of mainland China: under Nationalist control since 1948 but claimed by the People's Republic of China. 16,100,000; 13,885 sq. mi. (35,960 sq. km). Cap.: Taipei.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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