Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

chopstick

/ˈt͡ʃɑp.stɪk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.22 in modern English

Syllables
chop-stick
IPA
/ˈt͡ʃɑp.stɪk/
22
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An Asian person.

verb

To pick up (food), or eat, using chopsticks, or as with chopsticks.

Informal

verb

To fish using a tackle with a chopstick.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

Apparently a compound of chop + stick, but the sense of the first element is not clear. The term was earliest applied to fishing tackle (from 1615), later being transferred to the dining utensil (attested since 1637) driven by their visual resemblance. The commonly held derivation from Chinese Pidgin English chop(-chop) (“quick”), a supposed calque from Chinese 筷子 (kuàizi, “chopstick, literally, ‘little quick ones’”), derived from 快 (kuài, “quick”), is chronologically impossible as Chinese Pidgin English did not come into existence until the 18th century.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈt͡ʃɑp.stɪk/
  • British English: /ˈt͡ʃɒp.stɪk/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

How do you pronounce chopstick?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈt͡ʃɑp.stɪk/.
What does chopstick mean?
An East Asian eating utensil typically used as a pair held in one hand to grip food items, mix liquids, or scoop food out of a bowl. The utensil is a stick, usually made of wood, and measuring approximately 23 cm (10 inches) in length.
Where does chopstick come from?
Apparently a compound of chop + stick, but the sense of the first element is not clear. The term was earliest applied to fishing tackle (from 1615), later being transferred to the dining utensil (attested since 1637) driven by their visual resemblance. The commonly held derivation from Chinese Pidgin English chop(-chop) (“quick”), a supposed calque from Chinese 筷子 (kuàizi, “chopstick, literally, ‘little quick ones’”), derived from 快 (kuài, “quick”), is chronologically impossible as Chinese Pidgin English did not come into existence until the 18th century.

How to pronounce chopstick

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “chopstick”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈt͡ʃɑp.stɪk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “chopstick”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “chopstick” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.