chin-chin
/ˌt͡ʃɪnˈt͡ʃɪn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.70 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To say 'chin-chin'.
Dated; Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "The two junior members of the Chinese deputation came at the appointed hour. . . . On entering the door of the marquee they both made an abrupt stop, and resisted all solicitation to advance to chairs that had been prepared for them, until I should first be seated; in this dilemma, Dr. Buchanan, who had visited China, advised me what was to be done; I immediately seized on the foremost, whilst the Doctor himself grappled with the second; thus we soon fixed them in their seats, both parties during the struggle, repeating Chin Chin, Chin Chin, the Chinese term of salutation."
- "She ‘chin-chins’ the captain... and then nods her pretty head."
- "We ‘chin-chinned’ over foaming beakers."
- "For the sake of appearances we chin-chinned and tried to look gay."
- "I haven't had so much chin-chin for years."
- "Mum and Mrs. Martin had a good chin-chin at the fence about sickness and husbands."
Etymology
From Chinese Pidgin English chin-chin, a reduplication of Shanghainese 請 /请 (⁵chin, “please”). Sometimes, especially in Italianate spellings, reborrowed from Italian cincin.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: chin-chin, 請, cincin
Usage
Inflected Forms
chinchin (alternative)
chin chin (alternative)
cincin (alternative)
cin cin (alternative)
chin-chins (present, singular)
chin-chinning (participle, present)
chin-chinned (participle, past)
chin-chinned (past)
chin-chins (plural)