china

china — noun

1. A fine, white clay material that is shaped, dried, and then heated in a very hot

1.nounB1
Definition

A fine, white clay material that is shaped, dried, and then heated in a very hot oven until it becomes hard, smooth, and slightly see-through.

Example

The vase is made of fine china that was fired at an extremely high temperature.

made of [material] for composition

Aiko carefully painted small blue flowers onto the raw china surface before it was glazed.

raw china — the material before glazing

Common collocations
  • fine china
  • bone china
  • raw china
  • china clay
  • fired china
Synonyms
  • porcelain

    More formal or technical term for the same material; 'china' is more common in everyday speech

  • ceramic

    Broader category that includes china, stoneware, earthenware, and tiles

Grammar Patterns

china + verb (singular)

made of china

Usage Note

Uncountable — you cannot say 'a china' to mean one piece of the material. Use 'a type of china' or 'a kind of china' when referring to a variety.

Common Mistakes

The artist used a china to make the bowl.
The artist used china to make the bowl.
China is an uncountable material noun and does not take 'a'.
The chinas from this region are very white.
The china from this region is very white.
As an uncountable noun, china takes a singular verb form.

2. Cups, plates, bowls, and decorative objects made from the hard white baked clay,

2.nounB1
Definition

Cups, plates, bowls, and decorative objects made from the hard white baked clay, especially when kept for everyday or special use in a home.

Example

Theo set the table with the best china for his grandmother's birthday dinner.

the best china — a common collocation for special-occasion tableware

Leila wrapped each piece of china in newspaper before packing it into a box.

piece of china — partitive structure for uncountable noun

Common collocations
  • best china
  • good china
  • set of china
  • piece of china
  • stack of china
  • blue-and-white china
Synonyms
  • porcelain

    More formal; 'porcelain' is preferred in writing about antiques or manufacturing, while 'china' is the everyday word

  • dinnerware

    A broader, more practical term that includes plates, bowls, and cups made of any material

  • tableware

    Refers to any dishes and utensils used at meals, not just those made of china

Grammar Patterns

a piece of china

a set of china

the [adjective] china

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers to finished household items, not the raw material. You can 'buy china' (objects), but you 'work with china' (material).

Common Mistakes

I need to wash the china carefully.
I need to dry the china carefully.
The correct verb for after washing is 'dry', not 'wash'.
She gave me three chinas as gifts.
She gave me three pieces of china as gifts.
Use 'pieces of china' to count individual items.
Idioms

a bull in a china shop

idiom

A person who behaves in a clumsy or careless way in a situation that requires carefulness.

Maya was like a bull in a china shop at the art gallery.

Did you see Diego at the meeting? He was a bull in a china shop.

Word family

  • chinaware
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words refer to fired clay objects, but they differ in quality and usage. 'China' and 'porcelain' are nearly interchangeable for fine, white, translucent tableware, though 'china' is far more common in everyday conversation ('Where did you buy that china?') while 'porcelain' sounds more formal or technical ('a porcelain dental crown'). 'Ceramic' is the broadest term — it covers everything from flower pots to bathroom tiles to space shuttle heat shields. 'Earthenware' is the cheapest and least refined: it is fired at a lower temperature, stays porous unless glazed, and chips easily. 'Stoneware' is heavier, denser, and more durable than china, making it the standard material for everyday oven-safe baking dishes. When shopping for dishes, a set labeled 'china' signals fine dining; a set labeled 'stoneware' signals everyday durability.

porcelain ↗ceramic ↗earthenwarestoneware

Common collocations

Nouns

  • china cup
  • china plate
  • china bowl
  • china vase
  • china cabinet
  • china shop

Phrases

  • piece of china
  • set of china
  • stack of china

Prepositions

  • made of china
  • made from china

Etymology

PersianEnglish

The word 'china' entered English in the 1600s as a shortened form of 'China porcelain' or 'chinaware' — objects that were originally imported from China (the country). The Persian word 'chini' (meaning Chinese) came first to Europe, and English speakers began using 'china' to describe both the exotic material and the objects made from it. Over time, the word lost its geographical connection in everyday use: a cup described as 'china' no longer tells you where it was made, only what it is made of.