1
a chink in sth
也可指弱点或漏洞，如“a chink in someone's armor”表示“某人的薄弱环节”。
There was a small chink in the wall.
墙上有一条小裂缝。
中国佬
chinks — plural of chink
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
中国佬
(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
There was a small chink in the wall.
墙上有一条小裂缝。
种族歧视用语，贬义，应避免使用
裂缝；缝隙
A narrow opening such as a fissure or crack.
叮当声
A slight sound as of metal objects touching each other; a clink.
(种族歧视)对华裔的冒犯性称呼
(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Chinese descent
缺口；凹痕
A chip or dent in something metallic.
A chink in the old stone wall let a sliver of moonlight through.
旧石墙上的一道裂缝透进了一缕月光。
She peeped through a chink in the curtain to see who was at the door.
她从窗帘的缝隙里偷偷看了看谁在门口。
Cold air leaked in through a chink under the window frame.
冷空气从窗框下的缝隙钻了进来。
也可指弱点或漏洞，如“a chink in someone's armor”表示“某人的薄弱环节”。
There was a small chink in the wall.
墙上有一条小裂缝。
这是名词用法，表示某物发出的叮当声。
He heard the chink of glasses from the kitchen.
他听到厨房里传来玻璃杯碰撞的叮当声。
主语通常是硬币、玻璃等能发出清脆响声的物体。
The ice cubes chinked in the glass.
冰块在玻璃杯里叮当作响。
“together”表示使物体相互碰撞而发声；也可省略，如“chink the coins”（把硬币弄得叮当响）。
She chinked the two glasses together.
她轻轻碰了碰两只玻璃杯，发出叮当声。
Not this
He is a chink.
Use this
He is a Chinese person.
chink 是对华人的严重种族侮辱用语，绝不能用来指人；表达国籍或族裔时应用 Chinese 或 a Chinese person。
Not this
I went to a chink restaurant.
Use this
I went to a Chinese restaurant.
chink 不是形容词，不能修饰 restaurant 等名词；表示“中餐的”或“中国的”要用 Chinese。
Not this
She can speak chink.
Use this
She can speak Chinese.
chink 不是语言名称；表示“中文”或“汉语”要说 Chinese，即 the Chinese language。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
弱点，软肋
The data breach exposed a chink in the company's armor.
数据泄露暴露了这家公司的软肋。
一线光，一束光
A chink of light shone through the keyhole.
一线光从钥匙孔射进来。
墙上的裂缝
Cold air came through a chink in the wall.
冷风从墙上的裂缝吹进来。
硬币的叮当声
The chink of coins fell into the hat.
硬币落入帽子里的叮当声。
（某人的）弱点，软肋
The scandal revealed a chink in the CEO's armor.
这起丑闻暴露了这位首席执行官的弱点。
一线希望，一丝曙光
There is a chink of light in the negotiations.
谈判中出现了一线希望。
Use chinks naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象墙上的细缝(chink)透进一丝光，记住它是‘裂缝’，不是大洞。
语域：mixed 常见场景：racial slur、offensive name-calling chink 在此指对华裔的种族侮辱用语，通常带有强烈冒犯性，多用于歧视或仇恨言论中，应避免使用。
chink 作“中国人”解时是冒犯性蔑称，切勿使用。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.