Long Time No See Meaning & Sentence Examples

Long Time No See Definition, Sentence Examples

LONG TIME NO SEE MEANING – Find out what long time no see really means. Example sentences of this idiomatic expression can also be found here.

It’s unclear where the expression “long time no see” came from, but it probably originated among non-native English speakers. There are two primary options:

The expression “long time no see” has a Native American origin and was first used in William F. Drannan’s 1900 Western novel Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains. Drannan gives the following greeting to a Native American guy in the book: “Good morning. Long time no see you,” was utilized in the statement of an American Indian in another Western that was published in the same year. This implies that the expression might have come from Native American pidgin English.

Chinese Origin: Accounts from the 1900s mention sailors in the United States, and the phrase “long time no see” may be a loan translation from “hoju bjiàn,” a comparable Mandarin Chinese expression that means “long time, no see.” Navy borrowing the phrase through pidgin English from Chinese individuals, supporting the Chinese origin argument.

Long Time No See Meaning:

A friendly manner to welcome someone you haven’t seen in a while.
suggests that you know and are close to the person you are greeting.
acknowledges the time that has passed since the two of you last met in person.
evokes feelings of warmth and nostalgia for the individual being greeted.
expresses joy or delight at seeing the other person once more.
serves as an enjoyable and engaging approach to begin catching up after a break.