chabacano

[t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano]

/[t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano]/ adj

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

The verdict

“chabacano” is an uncommon Spanish word, ranked #70,084 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#70,084
frequency rank, Spanish
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Ordinario, grosero o de mal gusto.

Key facts for chabacano
PropertyValue
Headwordchabacano
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano]
Letters9
Frequency rank#70,084
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chabacano” sits in Spanish 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). chabacano 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 Spanish entry for chabacano is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano]. Corpus data places it at rank #70,084 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for chabacano, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Spanish form is chabacano, spelled C-H-A-B-A-C-A-N-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Ordinario, grosero o de mal gusto.
  2. 2
    De, o en lengua chabacana.

This word in other languages

apricot(English)

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chabacano"?
"chabacano" is spelled C-H-A-B-A-C-A-N-O. The IPA pronunciation is [t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano].
What does "chabacano" mean?
As an adjective, "chabacano" means: Ordinario, grosero o de mal gusto.
How do you pronounce "chabacano"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chabacano" is [t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "chabacano" come from?
"chabacano" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “chabacano”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is C-H-A-B-A-C-A-N-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [t͡ʃaβ̞aˈkano] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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