Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Chop chop (phrase)

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"Chop chop" is a phrase rooted in Cantonese. It spread through Chinese workers at sea and was adopted by English seamen. "Chop chop" means "hurry, hurry" and suggests that something should be done now and without any delay. The word "chopsticks" likely originates from this root.

The term may have its origins in the South China Sea, as a Pidgin English version of the Chinese term k'wâi-k'wâi (Chinese: 快快; pinyin: kuài kuài) or may have originated from Malay.

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Chop chop (phrase) Wikipedia