The Sino-Native, often referred to simply as Sino, represent a population with a diverse background resulting from marriages between the Chinese community and the indigenous peoples of Sabah. They are distinguished by their mixed genealogical heritage, resulting in a fusion of oriental and local cultures. This blending of traditions has given rise to distinct sub-groups within the Sino community, most notably Sino-Kadazan, Sino-Dusun, Sino-Murut and Sino-Rungus.

Analogus to other Peranakans of Maritime Southeast Asia, the Sino-Natives embody a unique cultural blend resulting from intermarriages between Chinese and the indigenous peoples of Sabah. This cultural synthesis is evident in various aspects of their lives, including language, cuisine, customs and religious practices.

The term "Sino" is often rendered in Malaysian Mandarin as "Bàn táng fān" (半唐番, which translates to "half Chinese and half Native"). Similarly, terms like Peranakan, Peranakan Cina and Peranakan Tionghua, mostly used by older Sino generations, also highlight this unique identity.

While "Sino" commonly refers to denote individuals with mixed Chinese and Kadazan-Dusun, Murut or Rungus heritage, it is occasionally extended for other biracial Sabahan people that have Chinese ancestry, such as Sino-Bajau, Sino-Brunei and Sino-Bisaya. However, such extensions are rare and occur infrequently within Sabah's ethnic landscape.

The historical practice of intermarriage between Kadazans and Chinese can be traced back to the mid-18th century, specifically between the 1760s and 1790s. During this period, the Brunei Sultanate played a pivotal role in facilitating the migration of thousands of Chinese farmers to Sabah, with the aim of bolstering pepper cultivation for the global market. These Chinese farmers, backed by Bruneian landlords, embarked on establishing pepper plantations along the west coast of Sabah, marking a significant economic and cultural exchange between the Chinese and local communities.

British explorer Dalrymple provided early documentation of this phenomenon, noting in his records that around 50 Chinese individuals from Brunei and the local Dusun community cohabited at the mouth of the Tuaran River on Sabah's western shores. This coexistence and collaboration in agricultural endeavours laid the foundation for subsequent interactions and intermarriages between the Chinese immigrants and the indigenous Kadazan communities, shaping the demographic and cultural landscape of the region.

In 1776, explorer Thomas Forrest further documented the presence of Chinese-operated pepper plantations, this time at the mouth of the Putatan River. His accounts shed light on the expanding role of Chinese settlers in the agricultural activities of the area, highlighting their significant contribution to Sabah's economic development during that era.

In a broader context, the intertwining of Chinese and indigenous communities in North Borneo (Sabah) has given rise to diverse Sino-Native groups.