china clay
- noun
- /ˈtʃaɪnə kleɪ/
- UK
:
caolín
- To achieve a fine finish, the potter mixed the glaze with china clay.
Examples
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The artist used china clay to create beautiful ceramic sculptures.
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In Cornwall, many factories rely on china clay for their paper and pottery production.
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Alfred Leslie Rowse was born near St. Austell, Cornwall, the son of a china-clay miner.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
171
1.0
A heavy sticky earth that is soft when wet and used to make pots and bricks
1
9.0
A fine white clay used to make pottery and paper
Fine white clay used to make porcelain and other ceramics
A fine white clay that people use to make ceramics and paper and to absorb liquids
A fine white clay made when rocks break down and used to make pottery and as a filler
Soft natural clay used to make pots like bowls and vases before heating
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a fine white clay used for porcelain' is directly derivable from combining 'china' (porcelain) with 'clay' (earth used for ceramics): it denotes the type of clay used to make china. This modifier+noun compositional pattern is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both words (and sees ceramic context) will likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
One popular story says the term china clay comes from early trade, because this very white clay was used to make fine Chinese china 'porcelain'. That's why china clay now means a pure white clay used for pottery and for making paper.