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/Sounds like "chah" (as in "chat") + "PEE" (as in "pea") + "tah" (as in "tar")/

Meaning

In Peru and Bolivia, someone who acts with authority they do not actually have. A chapita plays the role of someone in charge when they are clearly not, throwing their imaginary weight around and blocking things they have no real power over. The word refers to a badge or insignia, suggesting the authority is purely decorative.

Examples

That supervisor is a total chapita, he doesn't even have signing authority to approve anything.

Don't bother with him, he's a nobody who can't actually decide anything.

Regional synonyms

An unplanned pregnancy, especially by someone young. Used across Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, "salir con su domingo 7" means the surprise news arrived when nobody was expecting it. The expression comes from an old saying about something going wrong on the seventh Sunday.