Long Time No See — The Most Successful Chinese Import

Every English speaker has said it. Almost none of them know where it came from.

“Long time no see” is a literal translation of 好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bùjiàn). It entered English through Chinese Pidgin English in the late 19th century, spread by Chinese immigrants and traders in ports from San Francisco to London.

What makes it extraordinary: it’s *fully naturalized*. Nobody thinks of it as foreign. Nobody says “I have not seen you in a long time” anymore — the calque won.

This is the gold standard for what Zhonglish is about. Not every Chinese import needs to die (looking at you, Peking). Some deserve citizenship.

Long time no see didn’t just enter English. It became English.

**Verdict: Already Adopted ✅**