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Definition 2024

See also: chinee and chinée

Chinee ‎(plural Chinees)

Now considered merely an illiterate alternative to Chinese, this was a pejorative term in the United States in the 19th century.

Appeared in Robert A. Heinlein's science-fiction novel The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress (1966). The heavily multi-ethnic Moon/Luna settlers ("Loonies") made frequent use of it, apparently as a simple corruption of "Chinese" since no derogatory intent was clear. Transition from pejorative to neutral vernacular is also possible.

See also: Chinee and chinée

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