Search
Select the dictionary language
like chinese arithmetic
01
said of something that is very complex or difficult for one understands or work with
Idiom
Informal
Old use
What is the origin of the idiom "like Chinese arithmetic" and when to use it?
The idiom "like Chinese arithmetic" has been used in the past to describe something that is excessively complex, confusing, or difficult to understand. The phrase might imply that Chinese arithmetic, or the methods used in Chinese mathematics, were perceived as intricate or puzzling by those unfamiliar with them.
Examples
Trying to decipher the professor's equations felt like Chinese arithmetic. The symbols and formulas were so intricate and confusing.
