mandarin
Translation
mandarin, Mandarin, mandarin orange
Examples
I had a mandarin for a snack.
I had a mandarin for a snack.
She is learning to speak Mandarin.
She is learning to speak Mandarin.
He is a powerful mandarin in the civil service.
He is a powerful mandarin in the civil service.
Grammar Patterns
a mandarin (fruit/official) I had a mandarin for a snack.
to speak Mandarin (language) She is learning to speak Mandarin.
Similar Words
Synonyms: (fruit) tangerine, orange; (official) bureaucrat, official
Etymology
From Portuguese 'mandarim', from Malay 'menteri' (minister), from Sanskrit 'mantrin' (counselor). The fruit is named for the color of the officials' robes.
Memory Tips
Picture a Chinese official (a mandarin) eating a mandarin orange while speaking Mandarin.