Chinese

(1.) The most important and purest of all monosyllabic languages, vernacular in the empire of China. It has several sub-dialects, and resembles some idioms of Central Asia. The mode of writing is considered to have originated from drawings of actual objects, somewhat analogous to the hieroglyphics of Egypt, or the picture writing of Mexico. The word “chin,” in Chinese, means “man,” “men,” i.e. the inhabitants of that part of Asia. Works by Sir J. F. Davis, Bart., “Chinese Miscellanies,” London, 1865; “Moral Maxims,” Macao, 1823; “Poetry of the Chinese,” London, 1870. Dicty. by Lobschied, Hong-Kong, (E. & C.) 1866-9; (C. &. E.) 1871. (2.) Dialects are Amoy , Cantonese , Foochow , Mandarin , Miau , Punti , Shanghai .