-chae ending on verbs question

[quamp]

I recently ran across this as a title to a chapter:

食べちゃえ

From the initial kanji I believe it to be tabechae in Romaji. I'm also guessing this is either a form of taberu or a contraction of tabete and another verb. However, I couldn't find exactly what it means. The closest thing I could find was tabechau, a contraction of tabete shimau. Could someone please tell me what it means? Is it a variation of tabechau or something else?

 

[JimmySeal]

It's the command form of 食べちゃう.

 

[quamp]

有り難うございます.

Would it be more accurate to translate it as "eat it all" or "eat it now?"

 

[epigene]

Would it be more accurate to translate it as "eat it all" or "eat it now?"

It depends on circumstances.
It usually means implicitly "let's not ask for permission to eat and go ahead."

JFYI, Standard form:
食べちゃえ－＞食べてしまえ
食べちゃおう－＞食べてしまおう
食べちゃう－＞食べてしまう

 

[Ashikaga]

It is like, Go ahead and eat it! There is this over-tone of "there may be a negative consequence but go for it".

Also, -chae is often used as a "command" toward yourself.

For example, imagine yourself on a diet in time for the bikini season. You have sworn off carbs, protein and everything that tastes good. Then one night you find a couple of slices of left-over pepperoni pizza in the fridge.
You know you shouldn't but you say to yourself, OH WHAT THE HECK, I'M GONNA EAT IT!!!

食べちゃえ！(tabechae!) is EXACTLY that.

 

[quamp]

有り難うございます.

That would explain what happened in the chapter (a young boy sees a bowl of eel and eats it, then we find out it was for his father. The boy's mother chastizes the boy for this.)