ding-ding n. a streetcar or trolley. Editorial Note: Athough this term is specific to Hong Kong, in Japan streetcars are sometimes called chin chin densha, meaning ‘ding ding trains.’ Etymological Note: Imitative of the sound of a bell. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The English language has been greatly enriched by borrowings from the languages of Asia. Barely scratching the surface, we have from Japan skosh, tycoon, tsunami, origami, yen, kimono, futon, and karaoke. From Chinese comes yen, kowtow, gung ho, and...
In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of...