where did the derogatory term "chink" come from?

Question

i have heard a few stories...

The first i have heard, from an asian person, is that a chink is the name of a machine that put many migrant chinese people out of work at the docks, it had something to do with processing fish... though i have nothing but her word to back this up

I have heard other stories such as the definition in the dictionary for "chink" being comparable to the eyes of some asian people.

also that chink, chink was the sound made by the migrant workers laying down the rail road in the americas...

Anyone got a conclusive answer on the origins of this horrible term? sources appreciated...

Answer 1

See below.