long time no see

“Long time no see” is an idiomatic greeting used when meeting someone the speaker has not seen for a significant period. While it is now a standard phrase in English, its grammatical structure—lacking a main verb—points to its origins as a calque, or loan translation. Linguists generally trace the phrase to Chinese Pidgin English, mirroring the Mandarin phrase hǎojiǔ bùjiàn (好久不见), which translates literally to “very long time, no see.” It entered the wider American lexicon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often through naval slang or depictions of Chinese immigrants.

Perspectives on the phrase vary based on awareness of its etymology. For the vast majority of English speakers, it is considered a harmless, casual greeting used without any racial connotation; it has been fully assimilated into the language, and its non-standard grammar is viewed as idiomatic rather than mocking. However, some linguistic historians and cultural critics note that the phrase—along with others like “no can do”—originally gained popularity through caricatures of non-native speakers. Because of this history of mimicking “broken” English, some individuals prefer to avoid it to distance themselves from those early stereotypes, though it is rarely actively policed in general conversation.

Example:
“I ran into Sarah at the grocery store today; long time no see!”

Example:
“Hey, long time no see. How have you been holding up?”