Manchu (Noun)
Meaning 1
A member of the Manchu speaking people of Manchuria; related to the Tungus; conquered China in the 17th century.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The Manchu people were known for their skill in archery and horsemanship, which helped them conquer China in the 17th century.
- As a member of the royal family, the emperor was required to speak Manchu, the language of his ancestors.
- The Manchu conquest of China led to the establishment of the Qing dynasty, which ruled the country for nearly three centuries.
- The Manchu people had a distinct culture and customs that were separate from those of the Han Chinese, who made up the majority of the population.
- The use of the Manchu language declined significantly after the fall of the Qing dynasty, and it is now considered an endangered language.
Meaning 2
The last imperial dynasty of China (from 1644 to 1912) which was overthrown by revolutionaries; during the Qing dynasty China was ruled by the Manchu.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The Manchu rulers of China's Qing dynasty maintained their own distinct culture and language.
- During the 19th century, the Manchu court was weakened by internal strife and foreign invasion.
- The fall of the Manchu dynasty in 1912 marked the end of imperial rule in China.
- Many Chinese resented the privileges and powers enjoyed by the Manchu ruling class.
- As a result of the Boxer Rebellion, the Manchu government was forced to accept foreign intervention.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
The Tungusic language spoken by the Manchu.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The Manchu language is considered to be one of the most well-documented and studied of the Tungusic languages.
- By the end of the 19th century, the Manchu language had fallen out of common use, replaced by Mandarin Chinese.
- Despite efforts to revive the Manchu language, it remains critically endangered with few fluent speakers.
- In 1906, a school for the study of the Manchu language was established in Mukden.
- As the last dynasty to rule China, the Qing rulers maintained Manchu as a ceremonial language throughout their reign.