The stone lions that mark the start of Sydney's historic Chinatown have not been able to guard it from one thing: change.

Chinatown has become more like "Asiatown" and its once-distinguishable boundaries are fading, a three-year study of the iconic zone shows.

On guard: Chinatown's stone lions mark the entrance to the area. Credit:Daniel Munoz

A team of University of Western Sydney researchers has questioned whether Chinatown will still exist as a distinct precinct in the future or if it will become just another part of the city.

The project's leader, Professor Ien Ang, said the area had transformed from the ethnic enclave that sprung to life in the 1920s as a refuge in the face of the White Australia Policy.