chin-chin

From Chinese Pidgin English chin-chin, a duplication of Chinese 請／请 (qǐng, “please; invite”) as pronounced in varieties that merge /n/ and /ŋ/ in finals, such as Shanghainese. Sometimes, especially in Italianate spellings, reborrowed from Italian cincin.

• chinchin, chin chin, cincin, cin cin

• IPA^(key): /ˌt͡ʃɪnˈt͡ʃɪn/, /ˈt͡ʃɪnˌt͡ʃɪn/

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• Rhymes: -ɪn

chin-chin

1. (dated) A salutation, especially a drinking toast.
   • 1795, Michael Symes, An Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava, page 295:

     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.

chin-chin (third-person singular simple present chin-chins, present participle chin-chinning, simple past and past participle chin-chinned)

1. (transitive, dated) To greet; to toast.
   • 1859, All the Year Round, number I, page 18:

     She ‘chin-chins’ the captain... and then nods her pretty head.

2. (intransitive, dated) To say 'chin-chin'.
   • 1892 Sept, The Cornhill Magazine, page 268:

     We ‘chin-chinned’ over foaming beakers.

   • 1966, Widow Hack, page 164:

     For the sake of appearances we chin-chinned and tried to look gay.

Duplication of chin in its various senses. Compare chinwag.

chin-chin (countable and uncountable, plural chin-chins)

1. (US, informal, archaic) Discussion, conversation, talk.
   • 1877, Mark Twain, letter published in Love Letters (1949), p. 198:

     I haven't had so much chin-chin for years.

   • 1947, Coast to Coast, page 136:

     Mum and Mrs. Martin had a good chin-chin at the fence about sickness and husbands.

• “chin chin, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1889.
• “chin, n¹.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1889.
• "Origins of Toast Are Little Hazy, but Watch Who You Salute", Evansville Courier & Press, 8 April 2009.
• "Chin-Chin", Languagehat, 26 April 2006.

From Chinese 請請／请请 (“please–please”), a reduplication of 請／请 (“please”), either Shanghainese 請／请 (⁵chin), Mandarin 請／请 (qǐng), or Cantonese 請／请 (cing²).

chin-chin

1. worship
   • 1860, The Englishman in China, London: Saunders, Otley, and Co., page 100:

     belong olo custom pidgin, any man must wantchee go chin-chin Joss new year tim.^[sic]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. entreat, request
   • 1860, The Englishman in China, London: Saunders, Otley, and Co., page 112:

     My chin-chin you, pay my one moon advance wage

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1882, [William C. Hunter], The ‘Fan Kwae’ at Canton Before Treaty Days, 1825–1844, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, & co., page 20:

     Mr. Talbot chin-chin you come down.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. greet
   • 1882, [William C. Hunter], The ‘Fan Kwae’ at Canton Before Treaty Days, 1825–1844, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, & co., page 52:

     My chin-chin you

     My compliments to you.

chin-chin

1. A greeting.
   • 1836 January, “Jargon spoken at Canton: how it originated and has grown into use; mode in which the Chinese learn English; examples of the language in common use between foreigners and Chinese”, in The Chinese Repository, volume IV, number 9, page 434:

     ‘Chin-chin,’ said a man behind the counter, as I entered, ‘how you do; long time my no hab see you.’

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Gow, W. S. P. (1924) Gow’s Guide to Shanghai, 1924: A Complete, Concise and Accurate Handbook of the City and District, Especially Compiled for the Use of Tourists and Commercial Visitors to the Far East, Shanghai, page 104: “Chin-chin: to worship; to reverence; to adore. Also, in politeness, to wish one well; convey good wishes. “Chin-chin Joss.” “He too much chin-chin girlee.””