Entry
チン
chin
A short "ding" sound of a small bell or timer, most commonly used as a casual verb meaning to heat food in a microwave.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
"チン" (chin) primarily represents a short, clear, high-pitched metallic sound, like the "ding" of a small service bell or a timer. Because older microwave ovens used a mechanical bell that chimed "ding" when the heating was complete, the word evolved into a highly common verb, "チンする" (chin suru), which means "to microwave food." It is an essential, everyday casual word, though formal situations prefer "電子レンジで温める". Additionally, it can describe the sound of blowing one's nose, especially when speaking to young children.
- Microwaving food
- Sound of a small bell
- Blowing nose
Sense Map
Microwaving food
Heating or cooking food in a microwave oven, derived from the sound of the timer finishing.
お弁当をチンする
Small bell sound
A short, high-pitched "ding" or "ting" of a small bell or timer.
タイマーがチーンと鳴る
Blowing nose
The honking sound made when blowing one's nose forcefully, typically used with children.
鼻をチーンとかむ
Usage Note
How to Use
チンする
Used as a verb meaning to microwave. It conjugates like any standard suru-verb.
チーンと鳴る
Used with the particle 'to' and the verb 'naru' (to ring/sound) to describe a bell making a ding sound.
チンして
The te-form of チンする, often used casually to ask someone to heat something up in the microwave.
How to Use
Common Phrases
チンする
to microwave
チーンと鳴る
to ring with a ding
鼻をチーンとかむ
to blow one's nose
電子レンジでチンする
to heat up in the microwave
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Microwaving food | casual | Extremely common in daily life, but informal. Use 電子レンジで温める in formal business contexts. |
| Ringing a desk bell | neutral | Represents a light, high-pitched metallic sound. |
| Blowing nose | childish | Often used by parents telling young children to blow their nose. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
かん かん / similar | Used for a metallic chime, small gong, or a single strike of a bell. | チン is shorter and often associated specifically with microwave timers or service bells, whereas かん has a slightly deeper or more resonant metallic chime. | かんと鐘が鳴る |
ちりんちりん ちりんちりん / similar | Used for the continuous jingling of small bells, like a bicycle bell or wind chime. | チン is a single, short ding, while ちりんちりん describes a continuous or repeated jingling. | 鈴がちりんちりんと鳴る |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using チンする for any type of cooking or heating, such as boiling or baking.
チンする strictly refers to heating food using a microwave oven only.
Using チン to describe the sound of large bells like temple bells or church bells.
Use チン only for small bells, desk bells, or timers. For large echoing bells, words like ゴーン are used.
Repeating the word as ちんちん in casual conversation without realizing its other meanings.
While it can mean jingle, it is also a common childish slang for male anatomy, so avoid overusing the doubled form in daily conversation.
Examples
Examples
冷めたご飯を電子レンジでチンする。
さめたごはんをでんしれんじでチンする。
Microwave the cold rice.
FigurativeUsing "chin" as a verb to mean microwaving food.
ホテルのフロントでベルをチーンと鳴らした。
ほてるのふろんとでべるをチーンとならした。
I rang the bell at the hotel front desk with a "ding".
LiteralDescribing the short "ding" sound of a desk bell.
お弁当、チンして食べよう。
おべんとう、チンしてたべよう。
Let's microwave the bento before eating.
FigurativeA casual invitation or suggestion to microwave a bento using the te-form.
タイマーがチーンと鳴って、時間が来たことを知らせた。
たいまーがチーンとなって、じかんがきたことをしらせた。
The timer went "ding", letting me know the time was up.
LiteralDescribing the sound of a timer finishing.
ほら、ティッシュで鼻をチーンとかんで。
ほら、てぃっしゅではなをチーンとかんで。
Here, blow your nose into the tissue.
LiteralOften used when instructing a young child to blow their nose.
Similar Words
Questions
Can I use チンする in formal business situations?
No, チンする is very casual. In formal situations, it is better to say 電子レンジで温める.
Does チンする work for baking in an oven?
No, it exclusively refers to using a microwave, because it originates from the ding sound of the microwave's mechanical timer.
Is チン used for doorbells?
No, Japanese doorbells usually use ピンポン (pinpon) instead of チン.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1077380
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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