Meaning & use
Chinese parentheses
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluraltechnical
The pair of curved marks （ ） used in Chinese writing to enclose extra information, wider than English parentheses.
Grammar: Usually plural: 'Chinese parentheses' means the pair. For one mark, say 'a Chinese parenthesis'.
Patterns
- in Chinese parentheses
- use Chinese parentheses
- Chinese parentheses around something
The editor changed the English brackets to Chinese parentheses.
In Chinese parentheses, the opening and closing marks are both full-width.
The note in Chinese parentheses gives the original date.
Word forms
| singular | Chinese parenthesis |
|---|
Common combinations
- in Chinese parentheses
- Write the English name in Chinese parentheses after the Chinese one.
- use Chinese parentheses
- When you type Chinese, the keyboard may use Chinese parentheses automatically.
- full-width Chinese parentheses
- Full-width Chinese parentheses take up the same space as a Chinese character.
- put something in Chinese parentheses
- Put the explanation in Chinese parentheses so readers can skip it.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brackets
- In British English 'brackets' often means parentheses; in American English it usually means square brackets [ ].
- round brackets
- A clear everyday name for the same shape; use it when you do not need to mention Chinese writing.
Word family
- parenthesis noun
- One curved mark ( or ), or a phrase added as an aside.
- parenthetical adjective
- Added as extra information, often inside parentheses.
Commonly confused: Chinese parentheses or parenthesis?
Chinese parentheses vs parenthesis
'Parenthesis' can mean one mark or an inserted phrase; 'parentheses' usually means the pair of marks.
Practice
Which sentence uses the term correctly?
Choose one answer.
The usual phrase is 'in Chinese parentheses', meaning inside the pair of marks. Option 1 is less natural for a pair. Option 2 is wrong because 'a' cannot go with a plural. Option 3 is not a real word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Chinese parentheses”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.