You May Also Like
How often do you think about the nearest major city outside of your metro? the nearest state?
- November 16, 2022
- 24 comments
How often do you think about the nearest major city outside of your metro? the nearest state?
Is it really bad to be “grounded” by your parents/guardians? How does it even work?
- June 2, 2023
- 47 comments
Got this random question. I’m from India BTW. Here, if you do something wrong, you’ll be scolded, or…
Have you seen a 90 days to wed in real life?
- April 26, 2023
- 17 comments
I mean some foreign person comes to the US and has 90 days to marry someone to not…
36 comments
Tchotchkes. The influence of Yiddish on American English
‘junk’ maybe
Jank/janky serve that purpose
normally when something is made poorly/cheaply in the US, people (especially older people) will say “stupid made-in-china piece of shit” or something similar
Chintzy, perhaps.
Tacky is a word I’d also use for this.
This is another time we would use the word shit. “Why did you buy that shit from Temu”
Crap
I use ‘tat’ but tchotchkes is kinda close, especially for the souvenirs and shelf detritus you see at your grandmother’s house. I can’t think of any other word for the stuff sold by Temu and Shein.
In the IT field it would generally be referred to as “chinesium”
I’ve heard “Chinesium.”
crap
I used to say “wook” in high school, but that was kinda a fad word and I haven’t really heard it in a decade, but it means exactly that.
Trash/garbage/junk/crap/shit
Crap, junk, or cheap shit.
Junk, crap, cheap, tacky.
We definitely know the concept. There is a meme of “[X] is the Wish version of [Y]” and Chinese goods have a reputation for low quality.
Crap. Maybe Junk in front of your grandmother.
Crap.
Trinkets maybe
Crap I think
Chintzy
I’ve heard a lot of people refer to those products as “made in China” as a sort of short hand for “this is shit and will fall apart” even if it was made elsewhere, which is really the closest I can think of
Janky
Scuffed would work
knickknack would be pretty similar, but a knickknack is a cheap item that is typically decorative. For bad quality products we just say cheap, knockoff, or discount.
Cheapshit, Crapola, Craptastic, Craptacular
Ghetto
Where did you buy/get that pile of crap/shit/junk/garbage?
I use bunk a lot but maybe that’s an Illinois thing.
“Junk,” “dreck,” and “trash,” spring to mind.
Also, yes, “tat” is slang for tattoo. Odd.
I’ve heard tchotchkes, bric-a-brac, or curios used similarly, but living in the UK now I don’t think there’s a good equivalent that implies the low-quality in American.
ETA: my British wife also pointed out the term “Knick knacks” that I say.
“Junk” or more precisely, “schlock” (super cheap, lowest-tier “bought on Wish” stuff.)
“Tat” just recalls the expression “tit for tat,” which we also have.
Crap
Junk is the closest thing I can think of
Mickey Mouse
Mass produced, low quality, and usually low taste as well.
“If you need a nice present for your boss’s retirement, stay away from the mickey mouse stores.”
It could also describe a poorly organized or mis-managed group or business. Synonyms could be “fly-by-night” or “third rate.”
“I’ll never ship an important package with that mickey mouse courier again.”
Chinesium (low quality, easy to break) vs Skookum (durable, strong)