How do you use "Chow down" in a sentence?

Let's chow down — I'm starving and this BBQ looks amazing. The kids chowed down on pizza like they hadn't eaten in a week. We chowed down at this incredible taco place near the beach.

Chow down

Q: What does "Chow down" mean?

To eat enthusiastically and heartily. 'Chow down' implies eating with gusto, not just nibbling. It suggests sitting down to a satisfying meal and really digging in. It's casual and friendly, often used when there's a lot of good food available.

American Slang Term American ★★★★☆ Common informal

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Meaning: To eat enthusiastically and heartily.

大快朵颐，吃得津津有味。

Comer con entusiasmo y con muchas ganas.

ガツガツと勢いよく食べる。

열정적으로 맛있게 먹다.

'Chow down' implies eating with gusto, not just nibbling. It suggests sitting down to a satisfying meal and really digging in. It's casual and friendly, often used when there's a lot of good food available.

'Chow down'意味着吃得又香又猛，不是小口小口地吃。它暗示坐下来享用一顿让人满足的饭菜，真正地大快朵颐。这个表达很随意、很友好，通常在有很多美食的场合使用。

'Chow down' implica comer con ganas, no solo picotear. Sugiere sentarse ante una buena comida y atacarla de verdad. Es informal y amigable, y se usa a menudo cuando hay mucha comida buena disponible.

「chow down」はちょっとつまむのではなく、勢いよくガッツリ食べることを意味する。たっぷりの美味しい食事にがっつり取りかかるイメージ。カジュアルでフレンドリーな表現で、目の前に美味しい食べ物がたくさんある時によく使われる。

'차우 다운'은 조금씩 집어 먹는 게 아니라 왕성한 식욕으로 먹는 것을 뜻한다. 맛있는 음식 앞에 앉아서 정말로 파고들어 먹는 느낌이다. 격식 없고 친근한 표현으로, 맛있는 음식이 많이 있을 때 주로 쓰인다.

Examples

Let's chow down — I'm starving and this BBQ looks amazing.
开吃吧——我快饿死了，这BBQ看起来太棒了。
Vamos a zampar — estoy muerto de hambre y esta barbacoa tiene una pinta increíble.
さあ食べよう——お腹ペコペコだし、このBBQ最高にうまそう。
자, 먹자 — 배고파 죽겠는데 이 바비큐 끝내준다.
The kids chowed down on pizza like they hadn't eaten in a week.
孩子们狼吞虎咽地吃披萨，好像一个星期没吃饭似的。
Los niños devoraron la pizza como si no hubieran comido en una semana.
子供たちは一週間何も食べてなかったみたいにピザをガツガツ食べた。
아이들이 일주일 굶은 것처럼 피자를 게걸스럽게 먹었다.
We chowed down at this incredible taco place near the beach.
我们在海边一家超棒的墨西哥卷饼店大吃了一顿。
Nos pusimos morados en una taquería increíble cerca de la playa.
ビーチの近くにある最高のタコス屋でガッツリ食べた。
해변 근처 끝내주는 타코집에서 실컷 먹었다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: meals, gatherings, casual dining

Tone: enthusiastic, hearty

✓ Do Say

Let's chow down!
开吃吧！
¡Vamos a comer!
Let's chow down!（さあガッツリ食べよう！）
자, 먹자!
We chowed down on burgers after the game.
比赛结束后我们大吃了一顿汉堡。
Nos pusimos morados de hamburguesas después del partido.
We chowed down on burgers after the game.（試合の後ハンバーガーをガツガツ食べた。）
경기 끝나고 햄버거를 실컷 먹었다.

✗ Don't Say

Too casual for formal dining — don't say 'Shall we chow down?' at a business dinner
在正式用餐场合太随意了——在商务晚餐上不要说'Shall we chow down?'。
Demasiado informal para una cena formal — no digas 'Shall we chow down?' en una cena de negocios
フォーマルな食事の場にはカジュアルすぎる——ビジネスディナーで「Shall we chow down?」とは言わない
격식 있는 자리에는 너무 캐주얼하다 — 비즈니스 디너에서 '차우 다운 할까요?'라고 하면 안 된다

Origin & History

From military slang dating to World War II. 'Chow' meant food in military mess halls, and 'chow down' was the call to eat. It entered civilian speech in the 1950s.

Cultural Context

Era: 1940s military, civilian use from 1950s

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal