The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:
- People with Han Chinese ethnicity (often simply referred to as "Chinese" or "ethnic Chinese" in English).
- The Zhonghua minzu, a supra-ethnic concept which includes all 56 ethnic groups living in China that are officially recognized by the government of the People's Republic of China, such as Han, Zhuang, Manchu, Tibetans, and other established ethnic groups who have lived within the borders of China since at least the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911).
- People who hold citizenship of the People's Republic of China (mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau).
- People who hold citizenship of Republic of China (Taiwan) (See political status of Taiwan).
Race (hereditary reasons), nationality, citizenship, place of residence (geographical factors), and ancestry (historical and genealogical factors) can be used to define someone as Chinese.
Famous quotes containing the word people:
“The principal thing children are taught by hearing these lullabies is respect. They are taught to respect certain things in life and certain people. By giving respect, they hope to gain self-respect and through self-respect, they gain the respect of others. Self-respect is one of the qualities my people stress and try to nurture, and one of the controls an Indian has as he grows up. Once you lose your self-respect, you just go down.”
—Henry Old Coyote (20th century)