china

noun

chi·​na ˈchī-nə 

1

: porcelain

also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use

2

: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Examples of china in a Sentence

She uses her good china when she has company for dinner.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her Wall of Barely Used China Plates There’s fine china for eating, pulled out for special occasions and holidays, and then there’s fine china for the kitchen and dining room walls. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2025

The bath towels were packed in a sturdy box with packaging paper like Grandma’s fine china. —Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025

Hand-Painted Patterns and Metal Detailing Fine china that is hand-painted, features metal detailing, or trimmed with metals like gold or silver is not dishwasher-safe. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Dec. 2024

These are perfect for dining al fresco—unexpected but so chic mixed with more formal china—elegant but casual. —Sophie Aliece Hollis, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Persian chīnī Chinese porcelain

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing china

• a bull in a china shop
• bone china
• china clay
• china closet
• ironstone china
• stone china

Rhymes for china

• angina
• vagina
• yaquina

Kids Definition

china

noun

chi·​na ˈchī-nə 

1

: porcelain

2

: dishes of pottery or porcelain for use as tableware

Geographical Definition

China

geographical name

Chi·​na ˈchī-nə 

variants or officially People's Republic of China

country of eastern Asia bordering on the Pacific; the most populous country in the world; a republic whose capital is Beijing area 3,705,407 square miles (9,596,960 square kilometers), population 1,384,689,000

see also chinese