1. small, sweet citrus fruits with loose, easily peeled skin
2. high-ranking government officials in imperial China
Usage: historical
3. powerful or influential officials or bureaucrats
Usage: often derogatory

Examples

• The children enjoyed peeling the sweet mandarins for their lunch.
• She packed mandarins in her daughter’s school bag as a healthy snack.
• The mandarins ruled the Chinese empire for centuries through complex bureaucracy.
• Ancient Chinese mandarins were selected through rigorous examinations.
• The political mandarins made decisions behind closed doors.
• Critics accused the university mandarins of being out of touch with students.
• Fresh mandarins are especially popular during the winter holidays.