PhrasesHub

My old china

    Definitions

      • friend or mate
        to refer to a close friend or companion in a friendly or affectionate manner

      • person or individual
        to refer to a person, often in a casual or colloquial way

    Examples of My old china

    • She always maintained that her old china was as valuable as gold.

      This idiom means that someone places great value on a possession that may not be expensive or valuable to others. In this example, the speaker's friend believes that her old china, which may not be very expensive, is just as valuable as actual gold.

    • The antique store was filled with all sorts of treasures, from old paintings to my grandmother's old china.

      "My grandmother's old china" is used here to describe a specific set of dishes that have been passed down through generations. The idiom highlights the idea that these dishes are cherished and valuable not just because of their monetary worth, but also because of their sentimental value.

    • Grandma always insisted that we use her old china for special occasions, saying it was one of the few things she had left to remind her of her husband.

      Here, the idiom "my old china" is used in a more emotional sense. The speaker's grandmother values the dishes as a reminder of her husband, as they have sentimental value and help her keep his memory alive.

    • The collector had a fascination with antique china, and he would stop at nothing to acquire a complete set of my great-great-grandmother's old china.

      This example uses "my great-great-grandmother's old china" to describe a specific set of dishes that the collector is particularly interested in. The idiom highlights the notion that old dishes can be highly sought-after by collectors, who may be willing to go to great lengths to acquire them.

    • She takes great pride in her My old china, that her grandmother passed down to her.

      This idiom is used to describe something that is not new or modern, but is still cherished and valued due to its sentimental value. In this example, the speaker is referring to a set of dishes that have been in the family for several generations. The phrase "My old china" is being used to communicate the fact that the dishes are not contemporary, but are still treasured and appreciated by their owner.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "my old china" can be used to refer to a friend or companion in a friendly or affectionate manner. It can also be used to refer to a person in a casual or colloquial way.

    Origin of "My old china"

    The origin of the idiom "my old china" can be traced back to the Cockney rhyming slang, a form of slang that originated in the East End of London. In Cockney rhyming slang, words are replaced with phrases that rhyme with the original words, often making the meaning unclear to those who are not familiar with the slang. In this case, "china" is short for "china plate," which rhymes with "mate." Over time, the use of "china" to mean "mate" has become more widely known and is now used in a more general sense to refer to a friend or companion. The idiom has since become a part of everyday English language, used to affectionately address a friend or simply refer to a person in a casual way.