The Chav

Chav (plural chavs)

1. (UK, pejorative) A working-class youth, especially one associated with aggression, poor education, and a perceived "common" taste in clothing and lifestyle.

Chav is a English term used to describe an increasingly common set of trends and behaviors. Stereotypically, this include: a magpie-like attraction to (fake) jewelery, general inability to speak, read, or write normal English, 'designer' clothing, and a complete absence of good taste.


Chavs possess a distinct style of dress and as such, can be identified from a distance, without the need for interaction.

Key Features of the Chav uniform include:

  • Branded sports clothing worn in daily life. This includes, but is not limited to tracksuits, white trainers, sports vests, etc.
  • Designer clothing and accessories (usually counterfeit) primarily Burberry, although other brands are often similarly counterfeit.
  • Fake gold jewelery—in particular conspicuous earrings and trinkets on chains for females, and (fake) gold sovereign rings and large (fake) gold chains for males.
  • Sports caps or Burberry caps and hoodies (for males). Often both cap and hoodie are worn simultaneously.
  • Sports or jogging trousers, especially white. These may be worn tucked into sport socks, but more commonly they are worn with one trouser leg pulled slightly above the ankle. These trousers are also referred to as "tracky Bs," "trackies" or "tracky bottoms".
  • If female, often wears thickly applied make-up, large hoop or dangle earrings, makes heavy use of fake tan, and has a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail (called a "Croydon facelift" or "council-house facelift").


Chavs are also distinguishable by their behavior. They are very much a cowardly species. It is due to this nervous disposition that they need to mark their territory by either urinating in back alleys or scrawling their names illiterately on whitewashed walls. Despite this, they are highly territorial, and will attempt to defend their territory whenever possible.

Chavs' primary weapon is intimidation, and any confrontation will begin with aggressive posturing, often accompanied by unintelligible but threatening gibberish. This is, in effect, a more primitive form of a peacock ruffling its feathers or a robin inflating itself. Some Chavs will carry knives, which are primarily used only for effect, since a knife is a poor weapon in most circumstances.

Other distinguishing features

*Owns a "tacky" or "cheap" modified car, usually with a basic original specification, but decorated in a gaudy style. The Vauxhall Nova is one of the many small hatchbacks associated with this group
*Aspires to the latest mobile phone and other mobile gadgetry. The stereotype may not be above buying fenced phones or obtaining the phones themselves via mugging or theft
*Lives on council estates and other low-income neighbourhoods, often supported by the "dole"
*Often takes part in underage drinking, sex, (and, consequently, is associated with teenage pregnancy), smoking and sometimes drug abuse.
*Congregates and loiters in areas such as bus stops, shopping centres, under bridges, corner-shops and fast food restaurants.
*Is associated with crass, loud, in-your-face drunken behaviour and minor criminal activities. This includes unprovoked attacks on members of the public (see happy slapping), vandalism, verbal abuse, and drug abuse. Often these crimes are committed purely for the fun of it and not material gain
*Classically (particularly in the schoolyard culture) have a vehement dislike of 'goths' and 'emos', as well as other "alternative" subcultures

Also Known As

The Chav regrettably occurs throughout the world, where it is known by a variety of terms, listed below. List primarily from wikipedia.

Rest of Europe
* Scanger (male) and Howiya (female), Sham (Ireland Rural)
* Norry, Knacker, Scumbag, Spide, Lout (male), Majella (female) (Ireland)
* Ned (Scotland)
* Wesh, Racaille, Caille, Loubard (France)
* Cañi, Cani, Merdellón, Poligonera, Makineto, Bakala, Killo, Calorro, Macarra, Cateto (Spain, depending on the city)
* Brian (Denmark)
* Pissis (Finland)
* Prolet, Proll (Germany)
* Dres (Poland)
* Guna, Mitra, Bazofe (Portugal)
* Hamallu (Malta)
* Kamper, Kampsjaak, Tokkie, Gabber, Sjon(nie) (Anita for female), Adje (The Netherlands)
* Gopnik (ru:Гопник), Patsan, Shpana (Russia)
* Coatto (Italy, mainly in Rome and Latium)
* Klošar, Đikan (Croatia)
* Hnakki (Iceland)
* Manelist (Romania)
* Fjortis (Sweden)
* Fjortis (Norway)
* Gaggio (Sardinia)
* Dizelaš, Dizel, Zeldi (Serbia)
* Forsas, Urlaganas, Daigas, Marozas, Fyfa (female) (Lithuania)
* Urla (Latvia)
* Rullnokk (Estonia)
* Kangouras (Greece)
* Bacala, maqui (Spain)
* Lumpen Short for lumpenproletariat (Russia and Turkey) Note: Reference to The German Ideology by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who decribed the lumpenproletariat as an unproductive and regressive section of the population.

United States and Canada
* Flatbillers
* White trash
* Trailer trash (refers mainly to rural people)
* Guidos (considered offensive to Italians, as it is a derogatory term based on an Italian name)
* Ginos or Ginas (the same as above)
* Ghetto fabulous
* Wiggers ("white nigger"- considered a racist term)
* Hosers
* Greasers

Caribbean and Latin America
* Mano, Nigga and Rappers (Brazil)
* Caco (Puerto Rico)
* Naco (Mexico)
* Plancha (Uruguay and Argentina)
* Chopo (Dominican Republic)
* Cholero (Guatemala)
* Flaite (Chile)
* Wircho (Venezuela)

The Pacific
* Drongo (Australia) Got to love the Australians. Drongo was an insult long before it applied to Chavs.
* Bogan (Australia)
* Kappa (Australia)
* Westie (New Zealand) (Sydney, Australia - in reference to Sydney's Western Suburbs where this sub-culture is common)
* Wu-Tanger (Australia)
* Yobbo (Australia)
* Derro, Dero (Australia)
* Chapel Hanger (Melbourne, Australia)
* Lads/White Caps (Australia)

* Ah beng (male) & Ah Lian (female) (Singapore)
* Poser (Malaysia)
* Ars (ערס) (Israel)
* Mawaali (India)
* Yankee (ヤンキー) or Sukeban (スケバン) (female) (Japan)
* Kogal (コギャル) (female) (Japan)
* Azaar, Nawari or Lav (subculture) (In Arabic: أزعر نوري ابن شوارع) - Chav from Lebanon
* Nallari (날라리) (Korea)
* Jologs (Philippines)

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