Meaning
What does Chonk mean?
The internet slang Chonk describes something, usually an Absolute Unit of an animal, that is fat or chubby.
It started out with a “chonk chart”, depicting an orange colored cat in different sizes, that was shared on different entertainment platforms.
The size of the cat starts out with “a fine boi”, followed by “he chonk” all the way to “Oh lawd he coming”, all being descriptions for the size of the cat, in an increasing order.
“Chonk” is usually used to describe fat cats, but it is not unusual to describe other chubby pets as well.
The term “Chonk” is a play on the word “chunk,” which is often used to describe something that is large, rotund and bulky.
Origin
What's the origin of Chonk?
The use of slang terms like “Chonky” or “Chunky” on social media can be traced back to the late 2000’s, and early 2010’s.
It was especially prevalent among black users of sites like Facebook, Twitter as well as Instagram.
The “Chonk” meme was originally a body-fat index chart for healthy cat sizes, which was photoshopped into a funny parody.
This version was first uploaded to a cat enthusiast page on Facebook in 2018, and caught huge popularity – as cats online usually do.
Spread & Usage
How did Chonk spread?
Twitter was the next platform to catch onto the chart after Facebook, followed by Reddit – which led to the creation a new subreddit called r/Chonkers – proving the popularity of the chart.
It then spread to the rest of the internet.
After the original meme had circulated the internet a couple times, the term “Chonk” was used in new memes and images of other chubby pets.
The r/Chonkers subreddit is dedicated to sharing images and videos of overweight cats, and it quickly gained a large following.
It is still active today and has over 1.4 million subscribers.
The meme spread rapidly through the internet, with people sharing images and videos of their own chubby cats on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
Additionally, the term “Chonk” is now often used in online conversations and comments, with people using the word to describe anything that is large or bulky.
The “Chonk” meme has also been used in a variety of different contexts, with people using the term to describe everything from food to vehicles, to dogs and even humans.
The spread of the meme has also led to the creation of other memes and spin-off terms, such as “Chonk cat” and “Chonk life.”
These memes and spin-off terms are often used to describe the lifestyle and habits of overweight cats, and they are often used in a humorous and light-hearted way.
However, the format has also been used as a way to raise awareness about cat health and obesity.
Many people have altered the meme to encourage others to keep their cats healthy and to provide them with proper exercise and nutrition.
External resources
- Know Your Meme – Chonk / Oh Lawd He Comin’
- Cheezburger – Chonk-Memes