chinaman

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Addiction from a narcotic, especially heroin.

Register: offensive, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Chinaman half in and half out of the door. Codeine and goof balls, and complete discouragement.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “chinaman” mean?

Addiction from a narcotic, especially heroin.

Is “chinaman” formal or informal?

chinaman is generally offensive, slang.