IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishlong time no see
Meaning: A friendly greeting to someone one has not seen for a long time.
Example: “"Long time no see! How was Australia?"”
Origin: Its broken grammar suggests a pidgin origin. It is often said to imitate Chinese Pidgin English or to come from early American writing mimicking Native American speech, with examples from around 1900, but the exact source is uncertain.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Ça fait un bail Literally: That makes a lease
More English idioms
- a banana republic A small, politically unstable country dominated by a corrupt elite or foreign business.
- go under the knife To have a surgical operation.
- a captain of industry A powerful business leader who runs a major company.
- a day late and a dollar short Too late and not enough to be useful.
- a whipping boy Someone who is blamed or punished for the faults of others.
- the life of the party A lively, fun person who makes a gathering enjoyable.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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