A narrow opening or crack, often between two surfaces; also the sharp, ringing sound made by metal or glass striking together.
The sound word 'chink' likely comes from imitation (onomatopoeia), related to 'clink.' The meaning of 'crack' may derive from the sound of something splitting. Related to Old English words for splitting sounds.
This is a great example of how onomatopoeia—words that imitate sounds—work across English: 'clink,' 'chink,' 'clanking' all describe metallic sounds and developed from actually hearing those noises.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.