more chins than Chinatown
- idiom
- Offensive
:
tener mucha papada
- She laughed and said she had more chins than Chinatown after finishing the giant meal.
Examples
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When he saw himself in the mirror, he thought he had more chins than Chinatown.
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After the holidays, he joked that he had more chins than Chinatown.
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Wow, more chins than Chinatown!
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She said, 'I've got more chins than Chinatown!'
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After the holidays, he joked that he had more chins than Chinatown.
-
She laughed and said she had more chins than Chinatown after finishing the giant meal.
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When he saw himself in the mirror, he thought he had more chins than Chinatown.
Synonyms
4
2.7
A layer of fat under the chin that looks like a second chin
A person who has many chins because they gained weight
Having extra soft skin under the chin that hangs down slightly
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
more + chin + than + Chinatown
The basic comparative structure 'more X than Y' is compositionally clear, so a learner who knows 'more', 'chins', 'than' and the place name 'Chinatown' can infer it is a hyperbolic comparison meaning an unusually large number of chins (i.e., excess facial fat). However, the joke depends on cultural/pragmatic knowledge of Chinatown as a populous place and on the metaphorical extension from 'many chins' to being overweight, so the exact meaning and humorous force are not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
The saying more chins than Chinatown paints a funny picture of a busy Chinatown street full of people and chins. That's why people use it as a joke to say someone has 'many chins' or extra fat under the jaw.