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the Chinese
“the Chinese”是集体名词，指全体中国人，作主语时谓语动词用复数。
The Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival with family reunions.
中国人以家庭团聚的方式庆祝春节。
中文；汉语
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
中文；汉语
The Chinese language; any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China, especially Mandarin.
The Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival with family reunions.
中国人以家庭团聚的方式庆祝春节。
现代英语中常特指普通话。
中国国民、居民或公民,特别是中华人民共和国的。
A native, inhabitant, or citizen of China, particularly of the People's Republic of China.
中国使用的汉藏语系语言；因共享表意文字系统而被视为同一语言的方言
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
汉族成员,无论在中国还是海外。
A member of the Han Chinese ethnic group, whether in China or overseas.
共产中国或国民党中国的本地人或居民
a native or inhabitant of Communist China or of Nationalist China
She has been learning Chinese for two years and can already hold a simple conversation.
她学中文已经两年了，已经能进行简单的对话。
Chinese is a tonal language, which makes it difficult for many European learners.
中文是一种声调语言，这让许多欧洲学习者觉得难学。
Please write your name in Chinese on the registration form.
请在登记表上用中文写上你的名字。
“the Chinese”是集体名词，指全体中国人，作主语时谓语动词用复数。
The Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival with family reunions.
中国人以家庭团聚的方式庆祝春节。
Many international students hope to speak Chinese well.
许多国际学生希望能说好中文。
“a Chinese”作单数可数名词，但在正式或谨慎的用法中，更常说“a Chinese person”。
He is a Chinese who was born in Shanghai.
他是一位在上海出生的中国人。
Not this
I am a Chinese.
Use this
I am Chinese.
表示“我是中国人”时，Chinese作表语形容词，表示国籍或族裔，前面不需要加冠词a；说“a Chinese”在现代英语中不自然。
Not this
The Chinese is very hardworking.
Use this
The Chinese are very hardworking.
这里的the Chinese指“中国人”这个群体，是复数含义，谓语动词应用are，不能用is。
Not this
I am learning the Chinese.
Use this
I am learning Chinese.
表示语言名称时，Chinese前不加定冠词the；the Chinese通常指中国人民整体，不指汉语。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
说中文；说汉语
Many tourists in Beijing can speak Chinese.
北京很多游客会说中文。
学习中文；学汉语
She has been learning Chinese for three years.
她学中文已经三年了。
用中文；用汉语
Please write your address in Chinese.
请用中文写你的地址。
中国人（全体）；华人
The Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival.
中国人庆祝春节。
海外华人；华侨
My neighbor is an overseas Chinese.
我的邻居是一位海外华人。
翻译成中文；译成汉语
I need to translate this email into Chinese.
我需要把这封邮件翻译成中文。
传话游戏（比喻消息经多人转述后走样）
The story was repeated by Chinese whispers until it was unrecognizable.
这个故事经多人传话后变得面目全非。
信息隔离墙（比喻机构内部为防止利益冲突而设的屏障）
There is a Chinese wall between the two departments.
两个部门之间有一道信息隔离墙。
中国人用两个笔画来写‘危机’一词：一个笔画代表危险，另一个代表机遇。
Chinese is a language, and this quote misrepresents its writing system.
中文是一种语言，而这句话误述了它的书写系统。
Use Chinese naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把 Chinese 听成‘拆尼兹’：拆开快递，里面是中文书——Chinese 就是中文/中国人。
语域：mixed 常见场景：language learning、nationality/ethnicity discussions、news and formal writing ‘Chinese’作名词时，指‘汉语’是最常见且中性的用法；指‘中国人’时，单数形式‘a Chinese’在日常英语中不太自然，通常说‘a Chinese person’，复数可整体说‘the Chinese’。因此语气随搭配略有变化。
名词有‘中国人/居民’（可数，权威词典列复数 Chineses）与‘汉语’（不可数）两类用法，按语义区分。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.