chinky

English

Etymology

chink +‎ -y

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Adjective

chinky (comparative more chinky, superlative most chinky)

1. Full of chinks, laden with small cracks or openings.
   • 1826, Benjamin Apthorp Gould, The Works of Vergil: Translated into English Prose:

     […] the accustomed warmth pierced his marrow, and ran thrilling through his shaken bones; just as when at times, with forked thunder burst, a chinky stream of fire in flashy lightning shoots athwart the skies.

   • 1884, The Australian Journal:

     The door was knockerless and chinky, and creaked dismally as I inserted the key.

2. (derogatory, offensive) Possessing attributes of, or similar to, a Chinese person or Chinese style or culture.

Noun

chinky (plural chinkies)

1. (British, slang, possibly offensive) A Chinese takeaway restaurant.
   • 2005, David Parker, Cool Places: Geographies of youth cultures, page 70:

     What this means for young Chinese people growing up and serving behind the counter is captured in Pui Fan Lee’s autobiographical play Short, Fat, Ugly and Chinese, broadcast on Radio 5 in 1992. She remembers her childhood: ‘But most of all I hated the shop. The takeaway. Or, as the locals called it, “The Chinky” […]

2. (British, slang, possibly offensive) A meal of Chinese food.
   • 2013, Harry Morris, Yer Never Gonnae Believe It:

     I've had a Chinky, a Chic Murray and, afore ye came tae collect me, I had some fuckin' fancy Italian pasta dish. It was pure dead brilliant, by the way!

3. (slang, offensive) A Chinese person.
4. (India, slang, offensive) A person from Northeast India.
   • 2017 May 23, Alana Golmei, “Let’s talk about racism”, in Hindustan Times‎^[1], Delhi:

     Since I come from the North-eastern part of India myself and belong to a minority race, I too have suffered from racism, at least in its milder forms. I’ve been called "chinky", "momo", "chowmein", and more.

   • 2021, Thongkholal Haokip, “From ‘Chinky’ to ‘Coronavirus’: racism against Northeast Indians during the Covid-19 pandemic”, in Asian Ethnicity‎^[2], page 356:

     However, what matters to them is the intention of such a question, especially when they are invectively referred to as chinky and other remarks that are considered to be derogatory

Synonyms

• chink