The verb chingar is known throughout Latin America, but there is no other country that uses and abuses this word like Mexico. Chingar is the most important word in Mexico.
Here is the official dictionary definition by the Royal Spanish Academy versus the Mexican Spanish meaning of chingar.
Chingar according to the Royal Spanish Academy
According to the Royal Academy of Spanish Language the transitive verb chingar comes from the Caló language čingarár that means to fight. The first three meanings given by the Academy are:
1. to importune, disturb
2. to have sex (offensive)
3. to frequently have wine or drinks (colloquial)
The Mexican definition of chingar
The definition given by the Royal Academy of Spanish Language seems pretty lame compared to what Mexicans experienced in the formation of their country.
The most complete Mexican definition of chingar is given by the renowned writer Octavio Paz in the essay Hijos de la Malinche (Sons of the Malinche) where he wrote an in-depth study about La Chingada. These fragments that I have translated give the best explanation.
But the quantity of meanings doesn’t stop the idea of aggression in all its degrees, from a simple inconvenience, sting, hurt, to rape, rip up and kill… The verb denotes violence, removed from yourself and penetrate inside another by force. And also hurt, rip, rape bodies, souls, objects, destroy.
It is a cruel active masculine verb: itches, wound, rip, stains. And provokes a bitter, resentful satisfaction for the one who acts.
The “chingado” is the passive, inert, and open, opposed to the one who does the act of “chinga” that is active, aggressive and closed. The “chingón” is the male, the one who opens. The “chingada” is the female, the pure passive, unarmed…
For the Mexican, life is the possibility of “chingar” of being “chingado.” Meaning, to humiliate, punish, offend or the other way around.
– by Octavio Paz
From El laberinto de la soledad
Hijos de la Malinche is part of the book El laberinto de la soledad
Summarizing, the degree of the intensity of the meaning that the word chingar has, comes from the moment when Spanish conquerors raped the native women that became the first chingadas (or raped). That is why the Mexican people are los hijos de la chingada (the sons of the raped Indians) due to the mix of both cultures. (Please be careful when saying this statement: “Los Mexicanos son los hijos de la chingada” and not to be confused with “Los Mexicanos son unos hijos de la chingada”, the second one could be considered an insult.)
Check out the next article A List of Spanish Slang Expressions Using CHINGAR: 22 Mexican Spanish Examples to learn the different usages of this popular Mexican Spanish word.
Check out these other Mexican Spanish Slang Word articles.
