English Idiom – Chop chop.
Hurry up! Used to tell someone to do something faster, without delay.
It’s common in British and Australian English. Be careful with your tone: chop chop can sound bossy, so it’s best used jokily with friends and family rather than with colleagues or strangers.
Where Does It Come From?
Chop chop comes from Chinese Pidgin English, the trading language used between English and Chinese speakers in the 1800s. It’s usually traced to the Cantonese kap kap (急急), meaning “quickly”. The same pidgin word “chop” (quick) is also where chopsticks get their name – “quick sticks”!
Similar Expressions:
- Get a wriggle on – hurry up.
- Get your skates on – hurry up.
- Choppy waters (idiom) – a difficult situation. Nothing to do with hurrying, but another “chop” word!
Usage:
- Someone is taking too long to get ready.
- You’re about to miss a bus or plane.
- You’re getting impatient waiting for someone!
Example:
- “Our plane leaves in 20 minutes – chop chop, or we’ll miss it!”
In the News
Spotted in the newsChop chop! World Cup barber cut the hair of 23 Wales players in one daynation.cymruWhat 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
Hurry up! It is an informal way to tell someone to be quick.
From Chinese Pidgin English, probably from the Cantonese “kap kap”, meaning “quickly”.
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