Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. Chinese; thus a derog. term describing East Asian people in general.

1903		A.H. Lewis Boss 372: Our party is a dope fiend; it’s a horse to a hen at that very time he can be turned up in some Chink joint.
1914		H.S. Truman letter 8 Sept. in Ferrell Dear Bess (1983) 174: It is necessary to see the Chink doctor every day this week.
1925		D. Hammett ‘Dead Yellow Women’ Story Omnibus (1966) 159: Things ain’t been anyways quiet since the japs began buyin’ stores in the Chink streets.
1935		E. Anderson Hungry Men 60: Did you ever date a Chink girl?
1949		I. Shulman Cry Tough! 125: I’ll buy you a Chink meal.
1959		W. Burroughs Naked Lunch (1968) 24: Old Pete men suck the black smoke in the Chink laundry back room.
1969		H. Ellison ‘A Boy and his Dog’ in Beast that Shouted Love (1976) 180: It [i.e. a film] was mostly gut-spilling [...] with napalm throwers, jellyburning a Chink town.
1972		D. Jenkins Semi-Tough 166: If the world stops believing that, we may have to kick ’em in their chink asses again.
1977		J. Olsen Secret of Fire Five 43: I’m taking your basic chink menu.
1985		B. Humphries Traveller’s Tool 13: Informed opinion reckons he was picked up by a chink sub.
1992		A. Duff One Night Out Stealing 105: Only Sonny’s leftovers of some Chink takeaway food.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 14: He scored prescription goofballs from a Chink.

2. (US black) used as a nickname of one with supposedly Asiatic features.

1940

‘Digg Mee’ ‘Observation Post’ in N.Y. Age 12 Oct. 10/6: We are glad to see that ‘Chink’ Outlaw and Catherine Walker have ‘patched things up’.