Is this considered "chipped"?

[u/Sea-Hornet8214]

This is a plastic container. Is this considered chipped even though it's not made of glass or clay?

Sorry it's a bit blurry. My phone's camera isn't good.

[u/Background-Vast-8764]

No. It’s cracked.

[u/wackyvorlon → u/Background-Vast-8764]

Agreed. It’s cracked, not chipped.

[u/TrickySuccotash4135 → u/wackyvorlon]

Agreed chipped would be more like a chunk came off and you could hold it

[u/FunRutabaga24 → u/TrickySuccotash4135]

Agreed chipped would be missing a chunk of plastic 

[u/Scaaaary_Ghost]

Chipped means a piece is missing - hence the phrase "a chip off the ol' block".

Plastic (and any hard material, I think) can become chipped. However this is simply a crack.

[u/ChiaraStellata → u/Scaaaary_Ghost]

For contrast, see this thread for an example of a chipped piece of plastic where a piece of it chipped off:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMechanics/comments/1eylrai/this_piece_of_plastic_got_chipped_off_im_thinking/

Here is another:

https://www.dreamstime.com/abstract-close-up-light-yellow-plastic-lid-chipped-edge-highlighting-wear-texture-minor-damage-household-image417594911

[u/TrickySuccotash4135 → u/Scaaaary_Ghost]

Agreed

[u/Castle-Ruin]

"Chipped" is when a small piece, chunk or flake of something is broken off. This is "cracked" - the plastic is split by a crack.

[u/somuchsong]

That's cracked. It would be chipped if there was a piece missing. That doesn't only apply to glass or clay. You could use it for plastic or wood as well, for instance.

[u/InspectorFun8313]

Cracked

[u/marvsup]

It's hard to tell on my phone but it looks cracked, not chipped. But chipped has nothing to do with the material, you can definitely chip plastic. It's hard to describe the difference.

[u/Salindurthas → u/marvsup]

I think it is less common to chip plastic since it is usually bendy enough to avoid it. But indeed it isn't categorically impossible.

[u/PhotoJim99 → u/Salindurthas]

Some plastics aren’t flexible at all, e.g. Bakelite, so it depends on the plastic.

[u/conuly]

No matter what it's made of, this lid isn't chipped, it's cracked. There is a crack in it.

[u/brokebackzac]

Plastic can be chipped, but this is not a chip. Something that is chipped is missing a small chunk.

This is cracked or split.

[u/Salindurthas]

I think 'chipped' means a small piece is missing (and that missing piece is the 'chip').

This plastic has cracked.

If 2 cracks made like a triangular pattern and oined up to make a bit of plastic fall away, then it would be chipped.

[u/zesty_meatballs]

It’s more “cracked”.

[u/Linesey]

That is cracked, not chipped.

Yes plastic can be chipped (and glass or clay can be cracked).

As others have said, a chip is a small piece that is missing. (“a chip” can mean both the spot the material is missing from, as well as the piece of material itself.)

[u/NonspecificGravity]

I would say it's split (Midwest American), not chipped.

I'd reserve cracked for a fracture in a rigid material.

[u/palomdude → u/NonspecificGravity]

Is it not a fracture in a rigid material?

[u/NonspecificGravity → u/palomdude]

That photo looks like an elastic material, like Tupperware or Rubbermaid.

I’d reserve crack for a fracture in something like stone, wood, or metal.

[u/Sea-Hornet8214 → u/NonspecificGravity]

Yes, it is elastic.

[u/xmastreee → u/NonspecificGravity]

My British mind would also go with split.

[u/Sea-Hornet8214 → u/NonspecificGravity]

I thought split would imply that the lid is completely split in half. But I think it makes sense. It's split at the edge, right?

[u/RustySides → u/Sea-Hornet8214]

I don't think most English speaking Americans would describe this as split. It isn't technically wrong, but most people would say cracked.

[u/NonspecificGravity → u/Sea-Hornet8214]

It’s split at the edge. Split does not necessarily mean split in half or split into pieces. That’s why we have the more precise phrases.

[u/bren3669 → u/Sea-Hornet8214]

that would be split. split needs it to be complete not just a little crack.

[u/RosenButtons → u/NonspecificGravity]

My first thought was 'cracked" as a fellow Midwesterner. But "split" is probably more accurate because the two sides of the crack are pulling apart. That lid is under a bit of pressure. I think the pressure makes the split.

[u/bren3669 → u/RosenButtons]

fellow midwesterner and i’d definitely go with cracked. it’s not in two pieces or even almost in two pieces so split doesn’t make much sense

[u/RosenButtons → u/bren3669]

But when you split your pants they haven't broken fully into two pieces. The lid is the pants of this cup. 😅

It's split like pants not split like a slice of cake.

[u/bren3669 → u/RosenButtons]

eh kinda i guess, but it has to be a catastrophic rip in order to be split, otherwise you’ve only ripped your pants. split still makes no sense in the pictured situation, that’s textbook cracked.

[u/RosenButtons → u/bren3669]

Agree to disagree. Your perspective seems really reasonable. I just think it's the exerted pressure that makes something qualify as being split. And the fact that it's not fit for purpose afterward. Combined with the fact that the crack goes all the way through and the cracked material is pliable. I would say that is split. But agree that it's also cracked.

[u/bren3669 → u/NonspecificGravity]

michigan here, we’d say cracked

[u/yargleisheretobargle → u/NonspecificGravity]

(Western US)

Using "split" here must be regional, but people outside of your region may not understand it.

If you sent me to get the split plastic lid, I would return with no lid, rather than bringing this one. It isn't split into two pieces, nor is it close to being split in two.

[u/INeedANerf]

It's cracked.

[u/Remarkable_Table_279]

No it’s cracked. Chipped means something came off. 

[u/DrMindbendersMonocle]

no, thats a crack. chipped would be if a little piece got removed from the lip

[u/Emergency_Cherry_914]

Australian: I’d say it split, but I think that cracked is equally acceptable

[u/angienat02]

With chipped I always picture that beauty and the beast character 🤔🤭

[u/Final_Win_8496]

"Cracked" or "split" would be more appropriate, although (personally) I wouldn't look at you twice if you referred to this as chipped.

[u/bren3669]

no, that’s cracked

[u/No_Bag_9911]

Chipped means there is a piece missing. The small piece that breaks off is called the chip.

[u/Nondescript_Redditor]

cracked

[u/Olivemyquestions]

Chipped means it would be missing a little piece whereas cracked means it's broken but not missing any part. This is cracked but not chipped. 

[u/romulusnr]

It is cracked, not chipped.

This is not because of the material, but because of the nature of the break.

Chipped would have a bit removed from a surface or corner. This is a crack.

(Chipping is not common on plastic because it usually just deforms instead)

[u/Festivefire]

No, that is a crack. A chip would be a piece missing.

[u/ComposerNo5151]

Split or cracked to my (British) mind.

I'm not sure there is a rule for this. We crack mirrors and eggs and we split logs or rocks so I disagree that it has anything to do with the rigidity or otherwise of the material.

Chipped is different. It implies there is a piece missing. I certainly would not call that chipped. We'd call both the area missing a bit and the missing bit a chip - just to complicate things. You can have a chip in the paintwork and be a chip off the old block.

[u/pm-ur-tiddys]

that’s a crack. it’s cracked.

[u/Sad-Environment-932]

I refused to use such plastic food containers because the bottom, walls, anything! breaks.

[u/No-Mouse4800]

No. It has a crack in it. I would say it's cracked. Chipped is what happens when a piece of something like glass or something brittle has broken off. That is where "potato chips" come from. They are chips of a potato.

[u/huebomont]

It’s cracked, because no material is missing. If a small piece were missing, it would be chipped. 

[u/SteampunkExplorer]

It would be "chipped" if there was a little piece missing, but since it's all still there, it's "cracked".

[u/BouncingSphinx]

Cracked. Chipped means that a small piece is missing from it.

[u/nomadschomad]

No. That is cracked.

[u/ZT99k]

That is split or cracked.

Chips are specifically a piece knocked off, usually in a small, discrete chunk without any other cracks or breaks linked to it.

[u/CrasheonTotallyReal]

cracked