# shanzhai

> English word · Noun · IPA /ʃɑːnˈd͡ʒaɪ/

## Definitions
1. The imitation and trademark infringing of brands and goods of usually poor quality, particularly electronics made in China.

## Etymology
First use appears c. 2000s, from the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 山寨 (shānzhài), literally "mountain fort", suggesting a lair of bandits or counterfeiters.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shanzhai