exfoliate vs chip off

exfoliate and chip off both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
exfoliate	No	No	Yes	No
chip off	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, chip off is a hypernym of exfoliate; that is, chip off is a word with a broader meaning than exfoliate:

Other hypernyms of exfoliate include break away, break off, chip, come off.

exfoliate (verb)	chip off (verb)
grow by producing or unfolding leaves	break off (a piece from a whole)
cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters
remove the surface, in scales or laminae
spread by opening the leaves of
come off in a very thin piece