Meaning & use
Sinophobia
Last updated
UK/ˌsaɪnəˈfəʊbiə/
US/ˌsaɪnəˈfoʊbiə/
Meaning
noununcountableformal
Dislike, fear or hostility toward China, Chinese people or Chinese culture.
Grammar: Uncountable and usually without an article: rising Sinophobia.
Patterns
- Sinophobia in something
- Sinophobia toward someone
Historians trace Sinophobia in several countries to the nineteenth century.
The report documents a rise in Sinophobia during the pandemic.
Community leaders condemned Sinophobia in the schools.
Common combinations
- rise in Sinophobia
- Experts warned of a rise in Sinophobia.
- combat Sinophobia
- The campaign aims to combat Sinophobia.
- fuel Sinophobia
- Some commentators were accused of fueling Sinophobia.
- anti-Chinese sentiment
- Sinophobia and anti-Chinese sentiment appear in the survey.
Synonyms and how they differ
- anti-Chinese sentiment
- Anti-Chinese sentiment is a plainer phrase for the same attitude, while Sinophobia sounds more academic.
- xenophobia
- Xenophobia is fear of all foreigners, while Sinophobia targets China specifically.
- racism
- Racism is broader and concerns race in general, while Sinophobia is focused on China and Chinese people.
Opposites
Sinophilia
Word family
- Sinophobe noun
- a person who has this prejudice
- Sinophobic adjective
- showing such prejudice
- Sinophile noun
- someone who admires China
- xenophobia noun
- fear or dislike of foreigners
Commonly confused: Sinophobia or Sinology?
Sinophobia vs Sinology
Sinology is the academic study of China and has no connection to prejudice.
Practice
Which phrase best describes Sinophobia?
Choose one answer.
Sinophobia means hostility toward China or Chinese people. Sinology is the study, and Sinophilia is the opposite attitude.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Sinophobia”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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