man·da·rin¹ / ˈmandərən/ • n. 1. (Mandarin) the standard literary and official form of Chinese based on the Beijing dialect, spoken by over 730 million people: [as adj.] Mandarin Chinese. 2. an official in any of the nine top grades of the former imperial Chinese civil service. ∎  [as adj.] (esp. of clothing) characteristic or supposedly characteristic of such officials: a red-buttoned mandarin cap. ∎  an ornament consisting of a nodding figure in traditional Chinese dress, typically made of porcelain. ∎  porcelain decorated with Chinese figures dressed as mandarins. ∎  a powerful official or senior bureaucrat, esp. one perceived as reactionary and secretive: a civil service mandarin.man·da·rin² (also mandarine, mandarin orange) • n. 1. a small flattish citrus fruit (Citrus reticulata) with a loose skin, esp. a variety with yellow-orange skin. Compare with tangerine. 2. the citrus tree that yields this fruit.

mandarin an official in any of the senior grades of the former imperial Chinese civil service. Mandarins were chosen by examination, and there were nine grades, each of which was distinguished by the material from which the round ornament or ‘button’ on top of the official headgear was made. From the early 18th century, Mandarin has also been used for the standard literary and official form of Chinese.

Recorded in English in the late 16th century, the word comes from Portuguese mandarim, via Malay, from Hindi mantrī ‘counsellor’. The current transferred meaning of a powerful official or senior bureaucrat, especially one perceived as reactionary and secretive, developed in the early 20th century.

The mandarin orange may be named from the colour of the fruit being likened to the official yellow robes of a mandarin.

mandarin1 Chinese official. XVI. — Pg. mandarin (after mandar command) — Malay mantĕri — Hindi mantrī :- Skr. mantrín- counsellor, f. mántra- counsel (rel. to MIND).

Mandarin Major dialect of Chinese, the spoken language of about 70% of the population of China. It was originally the language of the imperial court. Mandarin is the basis of modern standard Chinese.

mandarin Loose‐skinned citrus fruit, Citrus reticulata or C. nobilio. Varieties include satsumas and tangerines (although all three names are used indiscriminately) with various hybrids including tangelo, tangor, temple, clementine.