# Use of the term "chops"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-the-term-chops/607829>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 30, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-the-term-chops/607829 "2011-12-30T14:33:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-the-term-chops/607829/21 "2012-01-04T03:08:26Z")

</div>

I wasn’t even aware it was a musical term. The “chops” I know are those Chinese seals (stamps, not animals) or signature blocks. I always thought “chops” meant something like “credentials,” meaning you had to have the proper seal, such as for a doctor, lawyer etc, to stamp something officially.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-the-term-chops/607829/22 "2012-01-04T04:49:27Z")

</div>

No, you’re wrong. “Chops” means Les Paul made the fucking thing. You ain’t got wood, you no know what a chop is.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-the-term-chops/607829.md?page=1)