Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a popular toast when drinking, synon. with ‘Good health!’ or ‘Cheers!’, thus chin-chin, v. to make a toast.

[1795		M. Symes Embassy to Ava 295: (Y.) We soon fixed them in their seats, both parties during the struggle repeating Chin Chin, Chin Chin, [the Chinese term of salutation] ].
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 99: CHINCHIN, a salutation, a compliment – Anglo-Chinese.
1866		Caledonian Mercury 13 Mar. 4/2: Chung was the life of the whole company [...] and Chin-chinned with everybody.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 13 June 11/3: To dance, too, Lewis can be made, / Whoever pulls the string, sirs. / But here he is – there – just come in; / How are you, Lewis, eh! Chin-chin!
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 16: Chin Chin, a salutation.
1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 43: CHIN-CHIN: Aust. drinking salutation Here’s to you, etc.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1912		P.C. Wren Dew & Mildew 136: [You] said, ‘Well, here’s luck, Colonel,’ or ‘Chin-chin,’ and then the Vice [...] would reply, [...] ‘Cheer Oh’.
1918		J.M. Grider War Birds (1926) 178: ‘Cheerio,’ says he. ‘Chin-chin,’ say we.
1921		N&Q 12 Ser. IX 424: Chin-Chin. Here’s to you!
1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight.
1944		J. Cary Horse’s Mouth (1948) 360: ‘Chin, chin.’ ‘Your very good health, sir.’.
1959		M. Richler Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1964) 117: ‘Prosit,’ Duddy said quickly. ‘Chin-chin.’.
1963		C. Mann ‘Stiff Luck for the Colonel’ in Three Stories 44: Well, chin-chin.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 73: He figured she’d say ‘Cheers,’ but she fooled him. ‘Chin chin,’ she said.
2020		(con. 1991-94) W. Boyle City of Margins 18: Donnie raises his shot glass [...] ‘Chin-chin,’ he says, tapping their glasses and then putting back the shot.

2. goodbye, farewell; also as n.

[1859		W. Burrows Adventures of a Mounted Trooper 185: The crew were not sorry to see the last boat-load [of Chinese] take their departure, which they did with cries of ‘chin-chin’ which means ‘good-bye’ and ‘thank you’].
1888		Soldiers’ Stories and Sailors’ Yarns 6: With a chin-chin off we set on our separate paths.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 5 Aug. 2/5: ‘So this is not “good-bye” only au revoir?’ ‘Oh, same as before...chin chin’.
1908		J. Gunn We of the Never-Never (1962) 9: The bushman took the hint, and after [...] a ‘Chin, chin, old man,’ left us.
1913		C. Mackenzie Sinister Street II 1105: Well, chin-chin, Clive, don’t be so long coming down here next time.
1919		Marvel 3 Mar. 15: Chin-chin, old bird.
1929		J.B. Priestley Good Companions 443: Chin-chin, Effie my dear, and all the best for Xmas!
1957		D. Niland Call Me When the Cross Turns Over (1958) 72: Chin-chin for the present.

3. a greeting.

1940

S. Lister Mistral Hotel (1951) 112: Come out and say chin-chin to them.