English Idiom – Cheap as chips (or as cheap as chips).
Very inexpensive. Something reduced in price, cheaper than usual, or cheaper than you expected.
This is a British English idiom. In the UK, chips are long pieces of fried potato – what Americans call fries or French fries. Chips are everywhere in Britain and usually cheap – hence the expression! Read more about the UK’s favourite takeaway in British Culture – Fish and Chips.
Chips or Crisps?
Careful! What Americans call chips (thin, crunchy slices of potato in a packet), British people call crisps. And a British slang word for potatoes is spuds!
Usage:
- Talking about a bargain you found.
- A holiday was much cheaper than you expected.
- The bill for a meal is surprisingly small.
Example:
- “We couldn’t believe it. We ordered loads of food and drink, but the bill was as cheap as chips!”
Money Idioms:
- Cost an arm and a leg – very expensive (the opposite!).
In the News
Spotted in the news‘Cheap As Chips’: Chris Sutton ‘Surprised’ At What Arsenal Are About To Dohitc.comWhat is an idiom?
An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally. An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Very inexpensive. It is a British English idiom.
In British English, chips are hot fried potato pieces (American “fries”), and crisps are thin crunchy potato slices in a packet (American “chips”).
Test Yourself
What is FunkyEnglish?
FunkyEnglish is a website that helps you improve your English. We offer quick lessons that teach idioms, slang, phrasal verbs and more. Visit our homepage to see our latest articles, or use the menu to find specific content!
