# chin-chin
## English
### Etymology 1

From Chinese Pidgin English chin-chin, a reduplication of Shanghainese 請／请 ($^5$chin, “please”). Sometimes, especially in Italianate spellings, reborrowed from Italian cincin.

#### Alternative forms

* chinchin, chin chin, cincin, cin cin

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˌt͡ʃɪnˈt͡ʃɪn/, /ˈt͡ʃɪnˌt͡ʃɪn/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɪn

#### Interjection

chin-chin
* (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.

#### Verb

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

### Etymology 2

Duplication of chin in its various senses. Compare chinwag.

#### Noun

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

### References

* “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.

## Chinese Pidgin English
### Etymology

From Chinese 請請／请请 (“please–please”), a reduplication of 請／请 (“please”), either Shanghainese 請／请 ($^5$chin), Mandarin 請／请 (qǐng), or Cantonese 請／请 (cing$^2$).

### Verb

chin-chin
* 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.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
* 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)
* 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 youMy compliments to you.

### Interjection

chin-chin
* 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)

### References

* 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.””