phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

The Phrase Finder
Phrases, Sayings and Idioms Home > Discussion Forum

- We are also on

A Phrase A Week - Facebook Group & Follow aphraseaweek on Twitter

Re: China

Posted by Mockney Sparra on November 13, 2003

In Reply to: Re: China posted by Sum Loo on November 13, 2003

: : : OK, I suspect I'm going to suffer for this one. I was buying china for my restaurant, when it occurred to me - like a lightening bolt of course - hehe, why is china, called china? Did it start in China? Was it invented in China?

: : Yes, me old china, it was.

: BTW - we are talking 'chinese porcelain' as in tea sets here.

: also - there is 'vitreous china' which is another name for the porcelain used in urinals and toilet bowls.

'china' is rhyming slang - china plate = mate.