chopstick
English
editEtymology
editFrom Chinese Pidgin English chop (“quick”) (compare chop-chop) + stick. The first element is a calque from Chinese 筷子 (kuàizi, “chopstick”), derived from 快 (kuài, “quick”).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editchopstick (plural chopsticks)
- (usually in the plural) An East Asian eating utensil usually used as a pair and held in one hand to grip pieces of food or occasionally to mix liquids or scoop up small pieces of food. The utensil is a stick, usually made of wood and measuring approximately 23cm (10 inches) in length.
- 1906 January, R. T. Booth, “Medical and Surgical Notes”, in China Medical Missionary Journal[1], volume XX, number 1, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 75:
- It took three months’ massage twice a day for ten minutes to bring the muscles to a good condition, and the boy left the hospital able to lift weights as well as to use his chop-sticks.
- (ethnic slur) An Asian person.
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editsingle eating utensil
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Verb
editchopstick (third-person singular simple present chopsticks, present participle chopsticking, simple past and past participle chopsticked)
- (transitive, intransitive, informal) To pick up (food) using chopsticks.
See also
editCategories:
- English terms derived from Chinese Pidgin English
- English terms calqued from Chinese
- English terms derived from Chinese
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- English ethnic slurs
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English intransitive verbs
- English informal terms
- en:Cutlery