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You won’t be able to prevent culture shock by learning how to use chaineado, but it is quite a good start.
I have not been able to find proof that chainear comes from the English verb “to shine”. There are some references that in chainear is also used in Chicano, so it makes a lot of sense that the verb would come from to shine.
If a person looks chaineado, that means the person is well dressed or elegant. Chainearse is to dress elegantly.
Of course, you’d look ridiculous without chainear your shoes = shine your shoes.
When you get ready to sell your car, you will want to chainear your car.
In Mexico, chainear also means tidy oneself up.
Chineado
Don’t mix up chaineado and chineado, they have totally different meanings.
Chinear = To spoil, pamper, or “baby” someone. That can be a pampered baby, child, pet, wife, or husband. El marido chineado (that’s me).
Hablar chineado is to speak as a spoiled child.
The word for a nanny in Spanish is “china”, which is where this word comes from. The name China is also commonly used for those with slanted eyes, not necessarily being of Chinese origin.
Chichí
And now that we are talking about children and pampered babies, a baby or child is called chichí.
I’ll keep it short for this week, so you can spend some more time on learning. To learn Spanish, contact Wagner Freer of Spanish School for Residents and Expats, to buy or rent a property in Costa Rica, contact us.
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