Word Meaning
चीनी
chīnī
hiadjective / noun
Meaning
Chinese; of China or a native of China.
Detailed Meaning
Refers to a native of China or anything belonging to Chinese culture or geography. In this couplet by Iqbal, it represents a regional and national identity that the universal believer ('mard-e-afaqi') transcends. The poet argues that the ideal spiritual human cannot be constrained by narrow ethnic or geographic labels such as Chinese, Arab, Byzantine, or Syrian.
Etymology
Persian 'چینی' (chīnī), derived from 'چین' (Chīn, China), tracing back to the Qin dynasty.
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it frequently appears as an ethnic contrast alongside Arab or Rumi, or in reference to Chinese painting and porcelain.
Examples
Free from the bounds of being Chinese or Arab
Artistry as delicate as Chinese porcelain
Synonyms
अहल-ए-चीनख़ताई
Related Words
चीनअरबीरूमीशामी