A Chinese religious statue or idol, or incense burned in Chinese worship.
From Portuguese deos meaning 'god', which was borrowed into Chinese Pidgin English as 'joss' in the 17th century. Portuguese traders used 'deos' (from Latin deus) when referring to Chinese deities, and this term was adopted and adapted by Chinese speakers.
This word represents a fascinating linguistic journey where Portuguese traders' word for 'god' traveled through Chinese Pidgin English and back into standard English. It shows how trade routes created unexpected word borrowings that crossed multiple languages and cultures.
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