Chinaman's chance Idioma
Chinaman's chance
Chinaman's chance Also,
ghost of a chance. An extremely slim chance, a hopeless undertaking. Both versions are most often put negatively, as in
He hasn't a Chinaman's chance of finishing the work in time, or
They haven't a ghost of a chance to get as far as the playoffs. The first term, now considered offensive, dates from the late 1800s when many Chinese immigrants came to work in California and were resented because they worked for lower wages. Its precise allusion is unclear. The variant, which relies on the meaning of
ghost as an insubstantial shadow, dates from the mid-1800s. Also see the synonyms
fat chance;
not have an earthly chance.
not a Chinaman's chance
not a Chinaman's chance Also,
not a ghost of a chance. See under
Chinaman's chance.
Chinaman's chance
offensive slang Little or no adventitious at all; a absolutely hopeless prospect. This aspersing byword originated in the 1800s and referred to Chinese immigrants who formed for acutely low wages, faced racism and college taxation, and were banned from testifying in cloister for abandon committed adjoin them. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. Learn more: chanceChinaman's chance
Also, ghost of a chance. An acutely abbreviate chance, a hopeless undertaking. Both versions are best generally put negatively, as in He hasn't a Chinaman's adventitious of finishing the assignment in time, or They haven't a apparition of a adventitious to get as far as the playoffs. The aboriginal term, now advised offensive, dates from the backward 1800s back abounding Chinese immigrants came to assignment in California and were resented because they formed for lower wages. Its absolute allusion is unclear. The variant, which relies on the acceptation of ghost as an aerial shadow, dates from the mid-1800s. Also see the synonyms fat chance; not an alluvial chance. Learn more: chanceChinaman's chance, he hasn't a/not a
No adventitious whatever. The appellation dates from the closing bisected of the nineteenth century, back Chinese immigrants came to California to advice body railroads. Their attendance was acutely against because they would assignment for far beneath than white workers. “We are broke by bargain labor,” wrote Bret Harte in his composition “Plain Language from Truthful James.” According to some authorities, the appellation activated to those Chinese who approved to supplement their balance by alive claims and streams alone by gold prospectors, a around hopeless undertaking. Others, artist John Ciardi amid them, accept it derives from the way they were admired as around subhuman and had no acknowledged recourse if, for example, they were robbed, attacked, or contrarily abused. It abundantly replaced the earlier not a dog’s chance, at atomic in America, but is now advised offensive. Also see fat chance; snowball's chance.Learn more: he, notChinaman's chance
Slim to no possibility. There accept been several explanations about the agent of this abhorrent phrase, all arising from Chinese immigrants alive in the American West. One is that they were accustomed the best alarming jobs, such as ambience and igniting explosives. Another is that board and juries commonly bedevilled Chinese defendants on the flimsiest of evidence. A third is that Chinese miners were accustomed to assignment gold claims alone afterwards others had taken the best ore. In any event, “Chinaman's chance” should be relegated to the charcoal heap.Learn more: chance