What does chink mean?
Chink is a compact English word with two main everyday meanings: a narrow crack or opening in a solid surface, and a short, bright ringing sound such as that produced by coins, keys, or clinking glasses. A shaft of light entering a dark room through a chink in the curtains is a classic image, and the word survives prominently in the idiom 'a chink in someone's armor,' which describes a small weakness or vulnerability in an otherwise strong defense — a metaphor drawn literally from gaps between medieval armor plates. As a verb, chink can mean either to make such a ringing sound or, particularly in North American usage, to fill the cracks between logs with mortar. The word is informal to neutral in register and entirely benign in its established senses, though readers should be aware that it has also been used offensively as an ethnic slur toward people of Chinese descent, a use that carries no connection to these older meanings and is wholly unacceptable today.
A narrow crack, slit, or opening in a surface, especially one admitting light or air.
"Cold air whistled through the chinks in the old stone wall."
A short, sharp ringing sound, such as that made when glasses, coins, or keys strike one another.
"She counted out the coins with a satisfying chink."
To make or cause to make a light ringing sound; also, to fill cracks or chinks with mortar or filler.
"Glasses chinked around the table as the toast began."
Standard plural; commonly used when describing multiple openings, as in weathered walls or fences.
"Moonlight streamed in through the chinks in the barn door."
Every 'chink in someone's armor' traces back to the tiny gaps between plates where an arrow could slip through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chink
Chink first appears in English in the mid-16th century, originally meaning a crack or fissure. Its origin is uncertain, but it may be related to 'chine,' an older English word for a crack or cleft, possibly from Old English. The ringing-sound sense developed later by the 16th century, likely independently as an imitative (onomatopoeic) formation echoing metallic or glassy sounds. Both senses were well established by Shakespeare's era, and the armor metaphor entered common speech through the phrase still used today.
Related word forms
How chink is actually used
Note: as a noun referring to a person of Chinese descent, this word is a serious ethnic slur in modern English and must never be used; all standard senses here are neutral and unrelated. The physical-crack sense is common in British English especially; the ringing-sound sense is often onomatopoeic and frequently used with 'of'. The verb sense meaning 'to fill cracks with mortar' (as in log cabins) is chiefly North American.
Easily confused with chink
A chin is the protruding part of the face below the mouth, while a chink is a narrow crack or a ringing sound.
A chunk is a thick, substantial piece of something, whereas a chink is a narrow opening or gap.