chinky

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A Chinese takeaway restaurant.

Register: offensive, slang

Examples

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,

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A meal of Chinese food.

Register: offensive, slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A Chinese person.

Register: offensive, slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “chinky” mean?

A Chinese takeaway restaurant.

Is “chinky” formal or informal?

chinky is generally offensive, slang.