Chop chop (phrase): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Phrase saying to hurry up}} |
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"'''Chop chop'''" is a |
"'''Chop chop'''" is a [[phrase]] first noted in the interaction between [[Cantonese]] and English people in British-occupied south China.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1oFAAAAQAAJ&q=chop+chop |title=The Penny Magazine |date=19 May 1838 |issue=393 |page=190 |article=Chinese English |publisher=Charles Knight & Co. |location=London }}</ref><ref name="npr">{{cite web|last=Gandhi|first=Lakshmi|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/02/20/280186897/quick-what-are-the-origins-of-chop-chop|title=Quick! What Are The Origins Of 'Chop-Chop'?|publisher=National Public Radio|date=24 February 2014}}</ref> It spread through [[Chinese people|Chinese]] workers at sea and was adopted by [[British people|British]] [[Sailor|seamen]].<ref name="phrases">{{cite web|url=http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/chop-chop.html|title=Chop-chop|publisher=Phrase Finder|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref> "Chop chop" means "hurry" and suggests that something should be done ''now'' and without delay. According to the [[Oxford English Dictionary]], the word "[[chopsticks]]" originates from this same root.<ref name="oed">{{Cite web |url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/32282 |date=2013 |access-date=June 26, 2013 |title=chop-stick, n.2. |publisher=Oxford English Dictionary }}</ref> |
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The term may have its [[Word origin|origins]] in the [[South China Sea]], as a [[Chinese Pidgin English|Pidgin English]] version of the Cantonese term chok chok (Cantonese: {{lang|yue-Hant|速速}}; [[jyutping]]: cuk1 cuk1), meaning quick, which in turn is similar in usage to the [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] term k'wâi-k'wâi ({{ |
The term may have its [[Word origin|origins]] in the [[South China Sea]], as a [[Chinese Pidgin English|Pidgin English]] version of the Cantonese term chok chok (Cantonese: {{lang|yue-Hant|速速}}; [[jyutping]]: cuk1 cuk1), meaning quick, which in turn is similar in usage to the [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] term k'wâi-k'wâi ({{lang-zh|c=快快|p=kuài kuài}})<ref name=phrases/> or may have originated from [[Malay language|Malay]].<ref name="npr" /> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Latest revision as of 00:50, 18 December 2024
"Chop chop" is a phrase first noted in the interaction between Cantonese and English people in British-occupied south China.[1][2] It spread through Chinese workers at sea and was adopted by British seamen.[3] "Chop chop" means "hurry" and suggests that something should be done now and without delay. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "chopsticks" originates from this same root.[4]
The term may have its origins in the South China Sea, as a Pidgin English version of the Cantonese term chok chok (Cantonese: 速速; jyutping: cuk1 cuk1), meaning quick, which in turn is similar in usage to the Mandarin term k'wâi-k'wâi (Chinese: 快快; pinyin: kuài kuài)[3] or may have originated from Malay.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Chinese English". The Penny Magazine. London: Charles Knight & Co. 19 May 1838. p. 190.
- ^ a b Gandhi, Lakshmi (24 February 2014). "Quick! What Are The Origins Of 'Chop-Chop'?". National Public Radio.
- ^ a b "Chop-chop". Phrase Finder. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "chop-stick, n.2". Oxford English Dictionary. 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
External links
[edit]
The dictionary definition of chop-chop at Wiktionary
