Chin-chin! How a Chinese drinking toast became popular in Europe
- The Mandarin phrase ‘qing qing’ is historically used for drinking rituals in China but rarely used today
- Toasting is so important in Chinese culture that children are taught from an early age how to do it properly
As Christmas and the New Year draw close, people around the world are preparing to clink glasses and toast to a hopefully brighter, happier and post-pandemic future.
In France, Italy and sometimes Britain, the word for “cheers” has Chinese origins. “Cin-cin!” (pronounced chin-chin) is uttered by Italians when they raise and clink their glasses together in a toast before sipping from a flute of spumante sparkling wine as they look each other directly in the eye.
Being superstitious, Italians believe failing to look a guest or friend in the eye during the act, or with water instead of alcohol, can bring bad luck.
A French toast is pronounced the same as the Italian expression, but spelt tchin-tchin, and chin-chin can occasionally be heard in British bars and restaurants.
The colourful salute can be traced to the Mandarin phrase qing qing, which is rarely used during toasts in China today. The phrase’s use in celebratory feasting was imported to Europe and adapted to local tongues after the Renaissance, when merchants, missionaries and adventurers returning from Asia shared etiquette they had picked up.
The pronunciation – unfamiliar to non-Asian ears – helped spread the phrase, possibly because it reminds Europeans of the sound of clinking glasses coming together.
