noun General Slang

China Plate

/ˌtʃaɪnə ˈpleɪt/ · noun · slang

Cockney for mate — 'china plate' rhymes with mate, clipped to 'me old china'.

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Definitions

1

Clipped to 'china', a close pal or trusted companion.

“He's been my china since we were at school.”
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2

A friend or mate. 'China plate' rhymes with 'mate', and is clipped to 'china', as in the affectionate 'me old china'.

“Alright, me old china, how's tricks?”
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3

A term of warm address between men, signalling familiarity and goodwill.

“Cheers, china, I owe you one.”
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China Plate In A Sentence

Me old china would never let me down.
Have a drink with us, china, it's on me.
They've been chinas for forty years, those two.

Origin & Usage

Late-nineteenth or early-twentieth-century East End rhyming slang on 'mate'; the warm 'me old china' became one of the most enduring affectionate Cockney terms, part of the everyday-social vocabulary growing out of the London slang Hotten recorded in 1859.

Variants chiname old china
Tags #cockney#rhyming#british#uk#friendship

People Also Ask

What does china plate mean?

It's Cockney rhyming slang for mate, meaning friend. 'Plate' rhymes with 'mate', shortened to 'china'.

Why do Cockneys say 'me old china'?

'China plate' rhymes with 'mate', so calling someone 'me old china' is a friendly way of saying 'my old friend'.

Is china plate still used?

Yes, 'china' for mate is one of the best-surviving and most affectionate pieces of rhyming slang.

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