More Loanwords from Chinese Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wind and water

In Chinese pinyin, "feng" means wing and "shui" means water. This is an ancient practice of using "invisible forces" that bring the universe, earth, and humanity in harmony. It is a practice used to orient buildings, tombs, residences and structures in an auspicious manner. The site is determined by consideration of features such as bodies of water, stars or the compass.

Answer: Paper tiger

Paper tiger is derived from the literal meaning of the Chinese pinyin "zhilaohu". "Zhi" is paper and "laohu" is tiger. Chairman Mao often used this term to criticize his political opponents, especially the United States. Tiger is considered the most powerful animal in China.

In ancient China, there were "the 5 Tiger Generals" referring the five top generals of the state of Shu during the Three Kingdoms Period.

Answer: Little sparrow

Mahjong is originally known as "maque" in Chinese pinyin meaning little sparrow. The game was developed during the Qing and spread to many countries in the 20th century. There are 144 tiles, played usually by four players. It is one of the favorite pastime gambling games for the Chinese.

Answer: Martial arts

Wushu in sport means the exhibition of traditional martial arts developed by the People's Republic of China. Wushu sport competition is an official event in Asian Games. World Wushu Championships was first held in Beijing in 1991. This tournament is held in every two years.

Answer: Three planks

"Sampan" is pronounced in Cantonese as "saam baan". The name referred to the hull design which consists of a flat bottom (originally a single plank) joined on the sides by two planks.

Answer: Clay

"Kaolin" means china clay which come from rocks that are rich in the mineral kaolinite. This word is derived from "gaoling", which is a Chinese village near Jingdezhen in south-eastern Jiangxi Province where Europeans first encountered the fine porcelain.

Answer: Qi

"Qi or "chi" is the vital force of any living being. "Qi" literally means "air", the "life force" or "energy flow". Qi is the fundamental of Chinese traditional medicine and martial arts. "Qigong" or "taichi" is the art of cultivating and balancing the energy flow in one's body.

Answer: Fruit

The literal name of the fruit in Chinese pinyin means dragon eye. This is because when the fruit is shelled, it looks like an eyeball. The translucent flesh on the black seed looks like a pupil or iris. It is a tropical fruit similar to lychee, but less aromatic in taste.

Answer: Distilled liquor

"Maotai" or "moutai" was first distilled during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The liquor (which can be 38%, 43% or 53% alcohol by volume) is made in the town of Maotai, produced by the state-owned Kweichow Moutai Company.

Answer: Keemun

Keemun was first produced in the late 19th century and later became popular in the West. It is considered as the best Chinese black tea, nicknamed "the queen of black tea". The tea is known for its strong fragrance, fresh and mellow taste.