# chop up

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chop-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to cut something into many small pieces using a knife or a sharp tool.

For teachers: to divide a solid object, typically food or wood, into multiple smaller fragments through repeated cutting or hacking motions.

## Examples

- Please chop up the onions for the soup.
- After the storm, we had to chop up the fallen branches to clear the driveway.
- The chef demonstrated how to chop up the herbs finely to ensure their oils were fully released into the sauce.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Chop up it into pieces." but "Chop it up into pieces." — when using a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- commonly used with food items or wood; the object can go between 'chop' and 'up'.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'slice' (thin, even pieces) or 'dice' (small cubes); 'chop up' is more general and implies less precision.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.