# What is a Cholo? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210 "2001-08-26T18:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/1 "2001-08-26T18:51:57Z")
(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? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/2 "2001-08-26T19:05:07Z")
I _think_ it’s a more modern pachuco. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/3 "2001-08-26T22:28:22Z")
I grew up on the Mexican-American border, and the word kind of meant “Hispanic thug”. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/4 "2001-08-26T23:52:03Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/5 "2001-09-07T01:19:47Z")
I thought it meant a tasty-looking young guy. Oh, wait, that’s “chula”. I think. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/6 "2001-09-07T01:20:51Z")
“Chulo”. I hope that’s right! ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/7 "2001-09-07T01:41:12Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jaimest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@jaimest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaimest)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/8 "2001-09-07T03:40:15Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![KeithB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@KeithB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithB)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/9 "2001-09-07T14:54:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Daniel\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/10 "2001-09-07T15:00:42Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-cholo/78210/11 "2001-09-07T16:00:32Z")
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.