Slang dictionary
Chungus
or Big Chungus or chungus [chuhng-guhs] or [big chuhng-guhs]
What does Chungus mean?
Chungus is a meme featuring a chunky version of the cartoon character Bugs Bunny, typically captioned Big Chungus. It began as gaming joke that spread online as a slang term for anything “(adorably) chunky,” similar to chonky.
Where does Chungus come from?
Chungus is credited gaming critic Jim Sterling. Sterling is said to have coined the word in 2012 as a blend of “chunky anus,” apparently used as an intentionally juvenile insult.
As the coiner of Chungus, it’s weird seeing it pop up independently. I feel like my small business has been squeezed out by Big Chungus.
— Sterling! (@JimSterling) December 23, 2018
The image of Bugs Bunny is from the Merrie Melodies 1941 cartoon “Wabbit Twouble,” featuring a noticeably heavier Bugs Bunny.
IMDb / Warner Bros.
This image was posted on 4chan in 2017. It was joined with the word Chungus (which separately resurfaced on in Reddit 2016) when Redditor GaryTheTaco created a a mock Playstation 4 video game cover featuring the chunky Bugs Bunny, called Big Chungus.
Reddit / GaryTheTaco
Big Chungus spread beyond Reddit, going viral on Twitter in December 2018 thanks a story spread about a mother attempting to buy the fake game for her son.
i love gamestop facebook groups for this reason pic.twitter.com/PeaiXVqqpU
— minecraft bee 💙🦁 (@fluffypkmn) December 8, 2018
Examples of Chungus
Who uses Chungus?
Like a lot of memes in internet forms and in the gaming community, Chungus is meant as often absurdist humor. Gamers and others online have made other fake video games about Big Chungus and adapted Chungus into other internet jokes, memes, and even songs.
AlexOnVinyl / Imgur
In 2019, chungus (often lowercase) spread as a more general slang term for something considered adorably “chunky,” akin to the DoggoLingo chonky.
late nights with chungus pic.twitter.com/UzMkecl0Fd
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) April 7, 2019
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of Chungus like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Chungus that will help our users expand their word mastery.