色目人
Chinese edit
kind and name; Semu, a caste established in China under the Yuan Dynasty | man; person; people | ||
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simp. and trad. (色目人) |
色目 | 人 |
Etymology edit
Contrary to popular belief, the term "Semu" (interpreted literally as "color-eye") did not imply that caste members had "colored eyes" in contrast with brown-eyed Mongol Yuan people. It in fact meant "assorted categories" (各色名目, gè sè míng mù), emphasizing the ethnic diversity of Semu people.
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
色目人
- Semu, a caste established in China under the Yuan Dynasty