Juan Chapín is a character created by Guatemalan writer José Milla y Vidaurre in his novel Un viaje al otro mundo pasando por otras partes -A trip to the other world, going through other parts-,[2] which he wrote while in exile in Europe after the Liberal revolution of 1871.

[2] «...boy of about thirty two years old, round face, clean shaven, medium height, black hair (...), lips a bit thick, that, when open, show two rows of white, strong and even teeth; smile between sad and funny; black eyes where there is something almost malicious and skeptic that contrast with the rest of his appearance, which is relaxed and easy going.» Milla y Vidaurre started describing the authentic "chapín"- that is, the typical Guatemalan- in his book Cuadros de costumbres -Custom portraits-,:[3] «The real and genuine chapín type, such as it existed at the beginning of this century,[Note 1] it is vanishing, little by little, and maybe after a while it will disappear altogether.

[...] The chapín is a group of good qualities and defects, making him very similar in this to the rest of the individuals in the human race, but with the difference that his virtues and drawbacks have certain peculiar character, resulting from special circumstances.

The chapín is apathetic and customary; he does not go to appointments, and when he does, he is always tardy; he cares about others business a little too much and has an amazing ability to find the funny and ridiculous side of men and things.

He eats lunch at two in the afternoon: shaves on Thursdays and Sundays, unless he has a cold, in which case he does not do it even if his life depends on it; he is fifty years old, and he is still being called "niño fulano" -baby Joe-; he has been attending the same evening gathering for the last fifteen years, where he has a chronic love that will last until he or she goes six feet under.»[3] In the first volume of his novel, Milla y Vidaurre tells the story of his trip by boat to San Francisco and then on to New York City on the transcontinental railroad in 1871.;[4] all his adventures have poignant comments from Juan Chapín.