chinese wall

English - Turkish

Definition of chinese wall in English Turkish dictionary

geçilemez engel

Çin seddi

English - English

Definition of chinese wall in English English dictionary

A barrier of silence and secrecy established within an organization in order to cope with confidentiality requirements

The enthusiasm for handy phrases of verbal shorthand is understandable. Occasionally, however, lawyers and judges use a term which is singularly inappropriate. Chinese Wall is one such piece of legal flotsam which should be emphatically abandoned. The term has an ethnic focus which many would consider a subtle form of linguistic discrimination. Certainly, the continued use of the term would be insensitive to the ethnic identity of the many persons of Chinese descent.

A barrier, especially one that seriously hinders communication or understanding: “still believe a Chinese wall can exist between public and private selves” (Gail Sheehy)

{i} Great Wall of China, 1,500 miles long wall which is the world's longest system of fortified walls which was built in the 3rd century BC by the Ch'in dynasty (located in northern China)

{i} barrier that hinders the passing of information; insuperable obstacle; set of severe rules implemented within firms (such as a financial institution, etc.) which are meant to prevent the exchange of top secret information between the different divisions as to avoid conflict of interest

A barrier, especially one that seriously hinders communication or understanding: "still believe a Chinese wall can exist between public and private selves" (Gail Sheehy)

a fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC; is 1,500 miles long and averages 6 meters in width

Related Terms

Chinese Walls

plural form of Chinese Wall

Hyphenation

Chin·ese wall

Turkish pronunciation

çayniz wôl

Pronunciation

/ʧīˈnēz ˈwôl/ /ʧaɪˈniːz ˈwɔːl/

Etymology

() The expression Chinese Wall comes from the Great Wall of China and became a metaphor of barriers, known to go back to the United States stock market crash of 1929. The U.S. government saw the need to maintain separation (or an information barrier) between investment bankers and brokerage firms, to limit the conflict of interest between the two. The first use of Chinese Wall in the general context of keeping confidentiality is unclear.