(I hope it’s not a swear word.) I’ve assumed it meant either a gang member/petty criminal, or a Latin American of part Indian (native) descent. What’s up?
I think it’s a more modern pachuco.
Peace,
mangeorge
I grew up on the Mexican-American border, and the word kind of meant “Hispanic thug”.
If you want lessons in how to be a cholo, watch “Born in East LA” starring Cheech Marin. A very funny movie.
waa sap pen nin…
I thought it meant a tasty-looking young guy. Oh, wait, that’s “chula”. I think.
“Chulo”. I hope that’s right!
Que chulo = how adorable, like when you see the sweetest little boy. I think a young man whould rather hear “Que suave” pronounced ‘Kay swave-eh’.
A Cholo is a gangsta type who dresses like he means it. A Chola is the feminine versiion, usually with a LOT of makeup and hair all up everywhere. Tattoos on very visible places, like the hands and neck, of course.
Cholo comes from Nahuatl “cholli” ‘baby’ - and was later used by the Spaniards to desparage half-Indian half-Spaniard children. So it roughly means “half breed”.
It is a racial slur in many countries. In Chile it is used to describe the more “Indian” peoples such as the Peruvians and Bolivians. (I once heard a Chilean call Peru “el pais cholo”). In Bolivia and Peru it is used for people of Indian blood who have adopted a “Latino” culture - often in a clumsy or superficial way.
The new Peruvian President, Toledo, is often called “Choledo” by his enemies, because of his Andean Indian roots.
In Mexican-American use, I think the word has lost its original meaning, and now means “gang member” - especially one with the distinct look - shaved head, white t-shirt, baggy Dickies pants, etc. Perhaps its similar to the use of “nigga” by some African-Americans, it takes an old slur and twists it into something new.
When I was growing up, just East of East LA, which is not as bad as it sounds, a “Chollo” – I don’t think I ever saw it officially spelled – was a hispanic gang member or gang member wannabe. The uniform was black sandals, black socks, khaki pants, a white tee shirt or black shirt buttoned up to the top button and an optional hairnet. You also needed to walk with a slouch. You needed a nickname.
Think David Hidalgo of Los Lobos.
Went to high school in south, SOUTH Texas with a lot of cholos. Can’t add a whole lot that hasn’t been said already, but basically an Hispanic thug/gang member/tuff guy. i’m reminded of the movie Stand and Deliver.
Here in Panama, “cholo” is basically used as a descriptive to refer to someone with Indian-type features. I have, for example, seen newspaper accounts describing someone as having “cholo” hair, i.e. straight and black. I don’t have the impression that it is overly derogatory, as I recall seeing a baseball team from the countryside who called themselves “Los Cholos.” (Sort of like “Redskins” I guess.) I imagine it could be offensive depending in the context.