long time no see en · INTJ
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Uncertain. Possibly a calque of Cantonese 好耐冇見 /好耐冇见 (hou² noi⁶ mou⁵ gin³), Mandarin 很久沒見 /很久没见 (hěnjiǔméijiàn), Mandarin 好久不見 /好久不见 (hǎojiǔbùjiàn), or similar expressions in other Chinese varieties, comparable to no can do or chop-chop – if so, most likely US Chinatown origin, or, 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).
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) I (or we) have not seen you for a long time.
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.
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:"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.
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: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.[...]"
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:Dave! Long time no see! How’s Boston been treating you?
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| long time, no see | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Descendants
long time no see but now · sinaw
Translations (88)
es añales sin verte (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es cuánto tiempo (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · yue 好久不見 /好久不见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ga is fada ná faca thú (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · lt seniai matyta (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · nl lang niet gezien (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · th ไม่ได้พบกันนาน (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · it da quanto tempo! (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · grt nikgijaan ru·utjok (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · vi lâu rồi không gặp (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es añares sin vernos (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · nan-hbl 真久無看 /真久无看 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es a los años (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · id lama tidak berjumpa (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · jam mi think yuh did dead (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · it ne è passato di tempo (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hak 恁久無看著 /恁久无看著 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · sv det var inte i går (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · crp-rsn mangoli år moja njet smotrom tvoja (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · de lange nicht gesehen (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ko 오랜만 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es añares que no nos vemos (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · el σαν τα χιόνια (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · he מזמן לא התראנו (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es añales que no te veo (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ar لَم أَرَكَ مُنْذُ وَقْت طَوِيل (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ru ско́лько лет, ско́лько зим (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · is langt síðan við höfum sést (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · be даўно́ не ба́чыліся (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · wuu 長遠勿見 /长远勿见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · nv ałkʼidą́ą́ʼ tʼáá niiłtsą́ą́ ńtʼééʼ (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ca quant de temps (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ta பார்த்து ரொம்ப நாளாச்சு (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · mn уулзалгүй удлаа (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · lt seniai matytas (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · eo delonge mi ne vidis vin (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · yue 好耐冇見 /好耐冇见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · pt há quanto tempo (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ja 久しぶり (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · vi lâu quá không gặp (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · fa مشتاق دیدار (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · cmn 好久不見 /好久不见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ko 오래간만입니다 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ru давно́ не ви́делись (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · el χρόνια και ζαμάνια (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · et pole ammu näinud (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · pl kopę lat (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · nn lenge sidan sist (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hak 好久冇見 /好久冇见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · fr ça fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vu ! (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ja お久しぶりです (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ko 오랜만이에요 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · cpi long time no see (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · cs dlouho jsme se neviděli (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · fi pitkästä aikaa (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · cy sut mae ers talwm (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · yo ó tọ́jọ́ mẹ́ta (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · cmn 很久沒見 /很久没见 (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · pl dawno się nie widzieliśmy (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hi बहुत समय से देखा नहीं (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hu rég nem láttalak (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es cuánto tiempo sin verte (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ar لَم نَرَكَ مُنْذُ مُدَّة (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · sh dugo se nismo vidjeli (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · yo kú àtijọ́ (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · aii ܡܢ ܟܡܐ ܥܕܢܐ ܠܐ ܝܘܚ ܚܙܝܐ ܥܘܕܠܐ (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · nb lenge siden sist (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · uk давно́ не ба́чились (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · lt šimtas metų! (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · jam long time mi nuh see yuh (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ar لَم أَرَكِ مُنْذُ وَقْت طَوِيل (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es hace mucho que no te veo (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · vi lâu ngày không gặp (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · da længe siden (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es hace tiempo que no nos vemos (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hu ezer éve nem láttalak (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · bg откога не сме се виждали (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · yo kú ọjọ́ mẹ́ta (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · ms lama tak jumpa (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · gd 's fhada bhon uair sin (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · kum сизин гёрмегеним кёп бола (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · fr ça fait un bail ! (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es tanto tiempo sin vernos (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · fr ça fait longtemps ! (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es dichosos los ojos que te ven (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · tr görüşmeyeli uzun zaman oldu (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · es dichosos los ojos (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time) · hu rég láttalak (idiomatic: I (or we) have not seen you for a long time)