縱觀英語語言歷史，英語語言自其接觸頻繁的眾語言之中，接受了大量的詞語。這些外來語曾經形成英語新字中相當豐富的語彙。而且，其中甚多衍義為現存的字彙，甚至列居英語常用字彙當中。本文旨在針對十九世紀前出現在英語中的中文外來語，探究中文對英語語言的影響。文中敘述早期的歷史背景，並將該時期的中文外來語依年代順序列出。文中亦討論引起借用外來語的原因，外來語產生的途徑，以及在英語中如何變化。研究發現多數中文外來語係商業及文化性接觸的產物。形成方式為透過直接翻譯，間接語言如日文，直接媒介如洋涇濱語，及商業行為等。中文外來語已大多與原文字音頗有差異，但幾乎皆以單意狀態借入英語語言。

　　　　　The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between China and England in terms of the borrowing from Chinese into English before 1800. It begins with the historical background about the historical connection between the two areas, followed by a chronological list of Chinese loan words in English. In addition, the factors that caused borrowing and the ways that the adoptions came about and how these words changed in English will be discussed. The findings reveal that some of the words in many instances expanded as already existing vocabulary in the English language. They also indicate that early modern English loan words from Chinese are first known mostly through the translation of foreign works, or indirectly through circuitous routes (e.g. an intervening language), or direct transmitters (e.g. Pidgin English, Hindustani), or commerce. Those loan words, passing through the minds of an alien people and uttered by alien tongues, in obvious and subtle ways will differ from the original words they came from. However, in regard to the shift in meaning, words borrowed from Chinese almost invariably come into English with just one meaning. Even though some words appeared with more than one meanings, those multiple meanings are closely related. They just differ as the figurative, transferred or extended changes.