This article explores the evolution of Chinese terminology for American cochineal to study global material culture in its local and trans-regional contexts. As the most highly valued insect-derived source of red colourant, American cochineal was introduced to China in the sixteenth century, with trade reaching its peak between the 1820s and mid-1870s. Since the early eighteenth century, various Chinese names emerged for cochineal; different terms were applied by different socioeconomic groups, though most were eventually forgotten. This article examines the emergence, spread, and persistence of predominant terms, alongside the obsolescence of others, within the context of Sino-European and regional knowledge exchange, trade dynamics, and scientific understanding of cochineal. The analysis demonstrates the evolution of Chinese terminology for cochineal was intricately linked to shifts within the intertwined spheres of global, regional, and local histories. It also reveals the coexistence and disconnection among various forms of global-local ‘connectivity’ through the linguistic dimensions concerning cochineal’s presence in China.