noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌsaɪnəʊˈsɛntɹɪzəm/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌsɪ-/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌsaɪnoʊˈsɛntɹɪzəm/
General-American:/ˌsɪ-/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The belief, held by the ancient Chinese, that China was literally the centre of the world.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The practice of viewing the world from a Chinese perspective, with an implied belief, either consciously or subconsciously, in the pre-eminence of Chinese culture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Ethnocentrism among the Han people of China; Han chauvinism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Alternative letter-case form of Sinocentrism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Sino- (prefix meaning ‘relating to China or the Chinese’) + -centrism (suffix indicating a focus on, or belief in the superiority of, one culture, people, place, or other thing).
Across languages
Translations
20 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
кітаецэнтрызм
(kitajecentryzm)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Chinese Mandarin:
中國中心主義 /中国中心主义
(zhōngguózhōngxīnzhǔyì)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Finnish:
Kiina-keskisyys
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Finnish:
sinosentrismi
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
French:
sinocentrisme
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
German:
Sinozentrismus
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Italian:
sinocentrismo
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Japanese:
中華思想
(kyūkashisō)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Korean:
중화사상
(junghwasasang)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Polish:
sinocentryzm
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Russian:
китаецентри́зм
(kitajecentrízm)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Spanish:
sinocentrismo
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Tagalog:
sinosentrismo
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Ukrainian:
китаєцентри́зм
(kytajecentrýzm)
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Vietnamese:
chủ nghĩa dĩ Hoa vi trung
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Vietnamese:
tư tưởng dĩ Hoa vi trung
— belief that China was literally the centre of the world
Portuguese:
sinocentrismo
— practice of viewing the world from a Chinese perspective
Chinese Mandarin:
大漢族主義 /大汉族主义
(dàhànzúzhǔyì)
— ethnocentrism among the Han people of China
Chinese Mandarin:
漢族沙文主義 /汉族沙文主义
(Hànzú shāwén zhǔyì)
— ethnocentrism among the Han people of China
Finnish:
sinosentrismi
— ethnocentrism among the Han people of China
