chopsocky

C3H4O1P3S1O1C3K5Y4

noun

A genre of exaggerated martial arts films made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the 1960s and 1970s.

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Meanings

nounchopsocky (countable and uncountable, plural chopsockies)

plural chopsockies · alternative chop-socky

  1. colloquialderogatorysometimesuncountablebroadcastingA genre of exaggerated martial arts films made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the 1960s and 1970s.

    Chopsocky actioner with standard fight scenes and atrocious dubbing.

    1983, Variety's Film Reviews: 1978-1980
    2 more examples

    The chopsocky films garnered a small following in this country precisely because of their often-ludicrous dubbing and the unrealistically-hard smacking […]

    2001, Lisa Morton, The Cinema of Tsui Hark

    […] bad enough that we settle for the typical chopsocky fare or do we protest and demand more realistic portrayals […]

    2003, Gary D Rawnsley, Political Communications in Greater China
  2. countableAn individual film of this kind.

Origin

Punningly from chop suey (“stir-fried vegetable dish”), chop (“fighting blow”), and sock (“punch”). Coined by Variety magazine.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

chopsocky. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chopsocky

MLA

“chopsocky.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chopsocky. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chopsocky,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chopsocky.

Source: chopsocky on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.