Joss Came From Portuguese by Way of Pidgin
A joss is a Chinese idol, and a joss stick an incense stick. The word travelled through three languages.
A joss is a Chinese figure of a deity, and a joss stick is a stick of incense burned before one. The word has an unexpected route: Portuguese traders in Asia used *deos*, meaning god, which passed into the pidgin spoken in the ports and came out as *joss*, then into English. A Latin word reached English through Portuguese sailors and Chinese pidgin. *Joss house* was the English name for a Chinese temple, and *joss* can also mean luck.
- A Chinese idol. *A joss figure.*
- Joss stick — incense. *A joss stick.*
- Joss house — a temple. *A joss house.*
- Luck. *Bad joss.*
- Portuguese — *deos*, god. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | joss | A joss. |
| Compound | joss stick | A joss stick. |
| Compound | joss house | A joss house. |
| Portuguese | deos | God. |
| Latin | deus | God. |
- A joss stick burned in the corner.Incense.
- They visited the joss house.Temple.
- It came through Portuguese.Etymology.
Words from Asian trading pidgin
- Joss — from Portuguese *deos*, god
- Pidgin — probably from a Chinese pronunciation of business
- Chop-chop — quickly, from Cantonese
- Savvy — from Portuguese *sabe*, he knows
- Long time no see — a calque from Chinese phrasing
Chinese pidgin English *joss*, from Portuguese *deos*, god, from Latin *deus*.
Where does joss come from?
Portuguese deos, meaning god, which passed through the pidgin English of Asian ports and emerged as joss.
What is a joss stick?
A stick of incense, originally burned before a Chinese household or temple deity.