yellow mandarin

(in the Chinese Empire) a member of any of the nine ranks of public officials, each distinguished by a particular kind of button worn on the cap.

(initial capital letter) the standard Chinese language.

(initial capital letter) a northern Chinese dialect, especially as spoken in and around Beijing.

a small, spiny citrus tree, Citrus reticulata, native to China, bearing lance-shaped leaves and flattish, orange-yellow to deep-orange loose-skinned fruit, some varieties of which are called tangerines.

any of several plants belonging to the genus Disporum or Streptopus, of the lily family, as S. roseus (rose mandarin) or D. lanuginosum (yellow mandarin), having drooping flowers and red berries.

of or pertaining to a mandarin or mandarins.

elegantly refined, as in language or taste.