china
CHEE-nah
📝 In Action
La nueva estudiante es china y habla tres idiomas.
A1The new student is a Chinese woman and speaks three languages.
¿Conoces a alguna china que viva cerca de aquí?
A2Do you know any Chinese women who live close to here?
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Matching
Remember that Spanish nouns change form to match the gender. If referring to a male person, use 'chino'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the Language
Mistake: "Using 'china' to mean the Chinese language."
Correction: The language is 'el chino'. 'China' refers only to the female person or the country.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: china
Question 1 of 2
In Spain, if someone says, 'El coche golpeó una china,' what did the car hit?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'china' the correct word for the country?
No, the country is always 'China' (capitalized). 'China' (lowercase) is the person or the adjective.
Why does 'china' mean 'orange' in Puerto Rico?
This is a fascinating regional variation! While 'naranja' is standard Spanish for orange, in Puerto Rico and parts of the Caribbean, 'china' is the preferred word for the sweet orange. This likely came from the old phrase 'naranja de la China' (orange from China), which was shortened over time.