How do you say 'Chinese' in Spanish?

The word is chino (masculine) or china (feminine), used for the language, the people, and as an adjective — nationality adjectives are lowercase in Spanish.

Does chino mean something else in Latin America?

In Mexico and several Latin American countries, chino also means curly when describing hair — pelo chino means curly hair, not Chinese hair, which can surprise learners.

How do you specify Mandarin vs. Cantonese in Spanish?

Mandarin is chino mandarín and Cantonese is chino cantonés — adding the specific dialect name after chino clarifies which Chinese language you mean.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Chinese in Spanish: Chino

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Chino · adjective · CHEE-noh

Chino is the Spanish word for Chinese, used as both an adjective (relating to China) and a noun (a Chinese person or the Chinese language).

CHEE-noh

Me gusta mucho la comida china.

I really like Chinese food.

Chinese in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for chinese, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
chino	chinese	CHEE-noh	Default, widely understood
china	chinese		feminine form for a Chinese woman or adjective
mandarín	chinese		referring specifically to the Mandarin language

How Native Speakers Use Chino

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Language learning

Estoy aprendiendo chino mandarín en la universidad.

I am learning Mandarin Chinese at the university.

Describing language studies.

Restaurant

Hay un restaurante chino nuevo en la esquina.

There is a new Chinese restaurant on the corner.

Recommending a place to eat.

Culture

El Año Nuevo Chino se celebra con desfiles y fuegos artificiales.

Chinese New Year is celebrated with parades and fireworks.

Talking about cultural celebrations.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Chino

Capitalizing the adjective

Incorrect: Me encanta la comida China.

Correct: Me encanta la comida china.

In Spanish, adjectives of nationality are not capitalized — write china (lowercase) when used as an adjective.

Confusing chino with curly in Latin America

Incorrect: Tiene el pelo chino. (meaning Chinese-style)

Correct: Tiene el pelo chino. (in Latin America this means curly hair)

In Mexico and other Latin American countries, chino also means curly (hair), which can cause confusion — context determines the meaning.

Lock in Chinese Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Chino used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using chino in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me gusta mucho la comida china. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Chinese in Spanish

How do you say 'Chinese' in Spanish?: The word is chino (masculine) or china (feminine), used for the language, the people, and as an adjective — nationality adjectives are lowercase in Spanish.
Does chino mean something else in Latin America?: In Mexico and several Latin American countries, chino also means curly when describing hair — pelo chino means curly hair, not Chinese hair, which can surprise learners.
How do you specify Mandarin vs. Cantonese in Spanish?: Mandarin is chino mandarín and Cantonese is chino cantonés — adding the specific dialect name after chino clarifies which Chinese language you mean.