have a Chinaman on (one's) back
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have a Chinaman on (one's) back
To suffer from an addiction to narcotics or the withdrawal symptoms caused by it. A derogatory phrase, it likely refers to opium's classical association with Southeast Asia. Having that Chinaman on her back has kept Janet out of work for years. I want to get clean and turn my life around, but having this Chinaman on my back is absolute torture.
See also: back, Chinaman, have, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- carry a Chinaman on (one's) back
- have a Chinaman at (one's) neck
- a few cards short of a (full) deck
- a few cards shy of a (full) deck
- Chinaman's chance
- Chinaman's chance, he hasn't a/not a
- not a Chinaman's chance
- a few eggs short of a dozen
- bananas
- a few bananas short of a bunch