Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A long dress with a high collar and slit skirt, traditionally worn by Chinese women.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A long formal dress-like garment worn by Asian men, the equivalent of a woman’s qipao. In Hong Kong, the cheongsam is also worn by women.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Cantonese ceong4 saam1, long gown : ceong4, long (from Middle Chinese trɦiaŋ; also the source of Mandarin cháng) : saam1, gown (from Middle Chinese ʂaʽm; also the source of Mandarin shān).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Cantonese 長衫 (cheongsam, "long dress")

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Examples

  • With its mandarin collar, snug fit and side slit, the qipao -- called a cheongsam in Cantonese -- is no longer daily wear, but it lives on as a look for special occasions.

    The Qipao Keeps Up 2010

  • “Some girls had their qi pao custom-made, and some bought them from stores,” Crystal said, calling the cheongsam by its Mandarin name.

    American Chinatown Bonnie Tsui 2009

  • “Some girls had their qi pao custom-made, and some bought them from stores,” Crystal said, calling the cheongsam by its Mandarin name.

    American Chinatown Bonnie Tsui 2009

  • “Some girls had their qi pao custom-made, and some bought them from stores,” Crystal said, calling the cheongsam by its Mandarin name.

    American Chinatown Bonnie Tsui 2009

  • “Some girls had their qi pao custom-made, and some bought them from stores,” Crystal said, calling the cheongsam by its Mandarin name.

    American Chinatown Bonnie Tsui 2009

  • “Some girls had their qi pao custom-made, and some bought them from stores,” Crystal said, calling the cheongsam by its Mandarin name.

    American Chinatown Bonnie Tsui 2009

  • It's so expensive that I think a full-skirted dress is out of the question ... and, although it's heavy silk, I think a cheongsam might be a little obvious.

    Fabric Week Exclusive - A Dress A Day 2007

  • It's so expensive that I think a full-skirted dress is out of the question ... and, although it's heavy silk, I think a cheongsam might be a little obvious.

    July 2007 2007

  • Chinese Kung Fu suit and Chinese Dress also called cheongsam or qipao are the soul of traditional Chinese Clothing.

    Secret Lives of Dresses Update - A Dress A Day 2006

  • ALBANY -- Bright red will be splashed across traditional Chinese garments, including the long floral print dress known as cheongsam, and it will festoon a sold-out, 982-seat Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre at the Egg during a Chinese New Year celebration tonight.

    timesunion.com: Local Breaking News webmaster@timesunion.com 2010

Comments

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  • “This dress combines an Asian silhouette with a pheasant pattern printed on linen. ‘There were some lovely cigarette advertisements from the time, where you see the traditional cheongsam being Westernized,’ Ms. Martin said. ‘All those influences came together to make that dress.’�?

    The New York Times, The Look of ‘Australia’, by Eric Wilson, October 31, 2008

    November 27, 2008