Chinkapin meaning : Any of the trees in the genus Castanopsis. Any of the trees and shrubs in the genus Chrysolepis. A water chinquapin, the water plant Nelumbo lutea, American lotus. The redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus). A species in the chestnut genus Castanea: A chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), a species of oak whose leaves resemble those of chestnut-genus chinquapins.