long time no see

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English

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Etymology

Unknown. Possibly a calque of Cantonese 好耐冇見／好耐冇见 (hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3), comparable to no can do or chop-chop – if so, most likely US Chinatown origin, alternatively British Far East such as Hong Kong. Alternatively, native American origin, or native coinage as pidgin, particularly in cinematic portrayals of native Americans; compare language used by Tonto (1930s).

Pronunciation

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Interjection

long time no see

  1. (idiomatic) I (or we) have not seen you for a long time.
    Dave! Long time no see! How’s Boston been treating you?
    • 1843, James Campbell, Excursions, Adventures, and Field-sports in Ceylon: Its Commercial and Military Importance, and Numerous Advantages to the British Emigrant, volume 1, London: T. and W. Boone, page 256:
      This lady had only assumed the reins of government a short time, when one morning Appoo made his appearance.—"Ma-am—long time no see wife—want go to Colombo see wife.[...]"
    • 1892, William Norr, Stories of Chinatown: Sketches from Life in the Chinese Colony of Mott, Pell and Doyers Streets, New York: William Norr, page 16:
      "Maybe. I think I go see my mamma today. Long time no see," answered Mamie, who from constant association had, like the other girls of the neighborhood, fallen into the habit of talking pigeon English to the Chinamen.
    • 1899, William F. Drannan, Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains or, the Last Voice from the Plains, Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, page 515:
      When we were close enough, I could see that he had a smile on his face, and I knew that he had recognized me. When we rode up to him he said: "Good morning. Long time no see you," and at the same time presented the gun with the breech foremost.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • →⇒ Cebuano: long time no see but now, sinaw

Translations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Eric Partridge (1984) “long time no see!”, in Paul Beale, editor, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English , 8th edition, New York: Macmillan, page 1386
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