chink

/t͡ʃɪŋk/

//t͡ʃɪŋk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"chink" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chink” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #46,376 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#46,376
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

chink vs chip
60% similar
chink vs coin
60% similar
chink vs Chun
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for chink
PropertyValue
Headwordchink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/t͡ʃɪŋk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#46,376
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chink” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). chink lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for chink is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /t͡ʃɪŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #46,376 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for chink, with forms such as "cchink", "chhink", and "chikn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "chip", "coin", "Chun", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension, with diminutive -k (see more at -ock), of Middle English chine (or, if already suffixed in Middle English, *chinek), from Old English ċine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine + -k. The correct English form is chink, spelled C-H-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
  2. 2
    A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
  3. 3
    A chip or dent in something metallic.
  4. 4
    A vulnerability or flaw in a protection system or in any otherwise formidable system.

Etymology

Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension, with diminutive -k (see more at -ock), of Middle English chine (or, if already suffixed in Middle English, *chinek), from Old English ċine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine + -k.

This word in other languages

fisura(Español)Spalt(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cchink,chhink,chikn,chinkk,chinnk,chnik,cihnk,hcink

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chink - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cchink1chhink1chikn2chinkk1chinnk1chnik2cihnk2hcink2
Edit distance from "chink"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chink"?
"chink" is spelled C-H-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /t͡ʃɪŋk/.
What does "chink" mean?
As a noun, "chink" means: A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
What words are commonly confused with "chink"?
"chink" is commonly confused with "chip", "coin", "Chun". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chink" is /t͡ʃɪŋk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "chink"?
Of uncertain origin, but apparently an extension, with diminutive -k (see more at -ock), of Middle English chine (or, if already suffixed in Middle English, *chinek), from Old English ċine (“a crack, chine, chink”), equivalent to chine + -k. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “chink”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /t͡ʃɪŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “chip” - see the side-by-side comparison. chink vs chip
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list