have more chins than a Chinese phone book

verb

To be exceedingly fat, especially under the chin (as in a "double chin").

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Meanings

verbhave more chins than a Chinese phone book (third-person singular simple present has more chins than a Chinese phone book, present participle having more chins than a Chinese phone book, simple past and past participle had more chins than a Chinese phone book)

present singular third person has more chins than a Chinese phone book · participle present having more chins than a Chinese phone book · participle past had more chins than a Chinese phone book · past had more chins than a Chinese phone book · alternative have more chins than a Chinese phonebook · alternative have got more chins than a Chinese phone book · alternative have got more chins than a Chinese phonebook

  1. humorousoffensiveTo be exceedingly fat, especially under the chin (as in a "double chin").

    Our leadoff hitter has more chins than a Chinese phone book.

    1995, Doug Robinson, "How about replacing rosters with these subs?," The Deseret News, Feb 25, 1995, section D
    2 more examples

    "This woman has more chins than a Chinese phone book," says Comedian Joan Rivers in a not at all funny pay cable television special.

    1981 March 30, Gerald Clarke, “Show Business: The Long Way to Broadway”, in TIME, archived from the original on 15 Mar 2010

    My friend, Hank Zona, used to nod his head in someone's direction and whisper, "That guy has more chins than a Chinese phone book."

    2004, Andy Kessler, Running Money: Hedge Fund Honchos, Monster Markets and My Hunt for the Big Score, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 131

Origin

A pun on the word chin and the common Chinese surname Chin. The phrase was likely popularized by the American comic Joan Rivers.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

have more chins than a Chinese phone book. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20more%20chins%20than%20a%20Chinese%20phone%20book

MLA

“have more chins than a Chinese phone book.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20more%20chins%20than%20a%20Chinese%20phone%20book. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have more chins than a Chinese phone book,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20more%20chins%20than%20a%20Chinese%20phone%20book.

Source: have more chins than a Chinese phone book on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.