List of Spanish words of Chinese origin

This is a list of Spanish words of Chinese origin. Some of these words have alternate etymologies and may also appear on a list of Spanish words from a different language.

List

*biombo= folding screen: from Portuguese "biombo", from Japanese "byōbu", from Chinese "pingfeng" (屏風), "folding screen," from "ping" "folding screen," + "feng" "wind."
*bonzo= Buddhist monk: from Portuguese "bonzo", from Japanese "bonsō", from Chinese "fanseng" (梵僧) "Buddhist monk," from "fan" (earlier also pronounced "bón") "a Buddhist," from Sanskrit "brāhmanas" "Brahmin," from brahmán- "priest, prayer" + Chinese "seng" "monk."
*cantón= cotton cloth: from "Cantão", old Portuguese name for Guangzhou, alteration of Chinese "Guang-dong" (廣東), "Kuang-tung", "region of the east," from "guang" "region" + "dōng" "east."
*caolín= type of fine, white clay: from French "kaolin/caolin", from "Kaoling", name of a hill in southeast China where this clay was originally obtained, from Chinese "Gaoling" (高嶺), literally "high mountain," from "gāo", "high," + "ling", "mountain, summit."
*charola= serving tray: from "charol" "glossy varnish," from Portuguese "charão", from regional Chinese "chat liao" (漆料) "varnish," from "chat", "varnish," + "liao", "material, ingredient."
*china= an orange: shortened from "naranja china", "Chinese orange," from Portuguese "China", from Sanskrit "Cīna" (c. first century), probably from Chinese "Qín", Chinese dynasty (221-206 B.C.). For the etymologically unrelated Spanish word "china/chino", see here.
*chinero= cupboard: from "porcelana de China", "Chinese porcelain." see china above.
*soja= the soybean plant, a soybean: from Dutch "soja" "soy sauce, soybean," from chinese "su/Shu" 菽 thence to Japanese "shōyu" "soy sauce," from Chinese 醬油 "jiang-you"), literally "oil sauce," or from Cantonese "shî-yaū" (豉油) from "shî" "fermented soybean" + "yóu" "oil, grease."
*soya= the soybean plant, a soybean: from English "soya" "soybean," from Dutch "soja", see soja above.
*té= tea, tea plant, dried tea leaves: from Hokkien (Min Nan) "t'e", "(茶) tea," from Old Chinese "d'a", "tea," in the three meanings) described above.
*tifón= typhoon: from Cantonese "taaî fung" "typhoon," (颱風, 大風 influenced by Spanish "Tifón" from Greek mythology) literally "great wind," from "taaî" (Chinese "dà") "great," + "fung" (Chinese "fēng") "wind."

ee also

*Linguistic history of Spanish
*List of English words of Spanish origin

References

*"Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua española" by Guido Gómez de Silva (ISBN 968-16-2812-8)