Is this idiom still used? I heard it in classic films.

Definitely not, it's very quaint and dated-sounding. I've never heard anyone in real life say it. 

I heard it a few times from old people when I was a kid, 20 years ago. It’s no longer in common use.

No. I mean, it's not offensive or anything, but no. There's a reason the dictionary says "old-fashioned".

I use it occasionally. I think it sounds better than "for all the money in the world", which seems to be the more commonly used phrase now. 

Never heard it but my dad regularly says "what's that got to do with the price of tea in China?" as a way of saying "how is that relevant?"

First time I've ever read it

Not in Canada. "For all the money in the world" is what I've heard.

It's a relic from a time when tea was more expensive. It makes less sense today.

I wouldn’t use that idiom today for all the tea in China. Mostly it’s old and tired and not used.

Slightly related (and also outdated) phrase that I used to hear as a kid: “What’s that got to do with the price of rice in China?” meaning “What does that have to do with anything?”

Like the definition says, it's pretty old-fashioned, and idioms that depend on stereotyping aren't super-popular these days.

No.

Yes UK

That is old school. We all still know it, mainly because we’ve all talked to old people at some point

Someone ask Van Morisson! But yes, it is a very old-fashioned phrase. Not completely gone, but uncommon under the age of 60.

This would be a fun thing to say with a wink. Nobody under the age of 75 would say it sincerely today. 

Until the mid 1800s a large portion of British trade revolved around China, tea, silver, and opium. Tea was valuable and China had a near monopoly on it. So the expression conveyed having an enormous amount of wealth and trade power. Expressions often die slower than the thing they were based on. But it's been a long time since China tea was a major economic force to be reckoned with. So the expression has died out in what was the British Empire. America tended to keep British vocabulary and expressions long after the British abandoned them. But the expression is essentially gone here too. It may be used in movies more than it was in real life because it evokes a time when The British ruled the seas,

My parents (gen x) might use it. Nobody younger unless as a joke.

I haven't heard it in a couple decades. If you say that today you will probably still be completely understood though.

It is still understood, but it is not commonly used in conversation anymore. I'm 67 and even for my generation it was an old-fashioned saying that was more likely to come out of the mouths of people my grandparent's age than my parent's age, and even less so for people my age.

I'm a young adult and have never heard it before

I feel like I’ve heard it quite a lot in TV shows and movies but rarely in real conversation (NE USA).

I've heard it. I would use it in a joking way, not really something I would say with a straight face.

i have never heard this phrase, native speaker too. but it's kind of cool, and i may have to use that sometime.

I've had a coworker say it. But he's like in his 60's lol.

I'm 50 and the last time I remember using it was when I was probably 7. So that would be early '80s.

I’m in the US and while I know what the idiom means, I can’t recall ever hearing someone use it in conversation. With the same meaning, I have said and heard, “You couldn’t pay me to do that” and “I’d never do that in a million years.”

I am in my late 40s and that is something my grandparents might have said. It is very outdated

Not really. It is very old fashioned, and possibly offensive in some circles.

My dad uses it but I wouldn't hear it from anyone my age (20s)

I recognise it but can’t remember the last time I heard it used. But don’t let that stop you trying to make it popular again.

I still hear it occasionally and use it occasionally (UK).

It isn’t commonly used, but people will still understand you if you use it

I still use it, along with more than Carter's got pills. (They used to be Carter's Little Liver pills.

It’s an older idiom, sir, but it checks out.

it's certainly not common anymore, but I've heard it once or twice in my life

Not common, but folks will still get it

I still hear it here or there, but my grandparents and dad were a lot more likely to use it then my generation is. For context I am 39.

I've never heard that, but as a tea person, I like it.

id be willing to bet most people my age (late teens early twenties) would have no idea what you're talking about. like it's a pretty self explanatory idiom so they'd get it but it'd be weird

......I still use it

I heard it all the time as a kid. I've just realized it's been a long time since I heard it. I don't remember a social campaign to end it, it seems to have just fallen out of use. Edit missing word.

It’s very dated. The pool of people to whom it might be a common phrase is dwindling, I’m sure. Tea as a driving force doesn’t carry the same weight that it might have in the past.

Yes, but not often.

I've never heard it but it sounds fun and doesn't require explanation

I’ve never heard it before so I’m assuming it’s not common, I personally find it a fun one though and might just use it for the heck of it XD

Good

Super rare. Anachronistic in fact.

It’s understood, but out of date. I’d say, “You couldn’t pay me to…”

Bringing this back.

I use it all the time, but it's not very common.

It’s old fashioned but people would know what you were saying. Reworking it to be “I wouldn’t do X for all of the (famous thing) in/from (place)” can be a funny joke though.

[This is the last time I heard it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vAVQuov0Ic)

That's some oooold lingo right there. Like, my grandparents used that. Usually people now say "I'd rather [insert undesirable thing]." Or "you couldn't pay me enough."

Not really used much anymore, but I think is still generally understood when it is, especially with context.

People would know what you’re talking about if you used it and it makes sense but the image of China being really big into tea/having a lot of tea has kinda died down at least in the US. I still don’t think it would catch me off guard if I heard it in a conversation though.

I’ve never heard it, but if you said it I would understand what you meant

Reminds me of “All My Little Words” by The Magnetic Fields

I haven't heard it from anyone younger than 60, though my mother is fond of using it though. I wouldn't consider it a current use phrase.

I'm 62 and I have said it a few times but it is definitely not in common use.

Old people say it. That’s about it.

Haha I’m 45 and have used this in the last week

I like to ask, “What does that have to do with the price of rice in China?”

Not for all the X in Y is also a common template. Not as common anymore, but I've also heard it before. Mostly old people.

It's my first time hearing it here in the U.S. Maybe it's somewhat more common in Britain, but I can't speak to that. We do say its equivalent "would not do something for all the money in the world".

Yes, hear it occasionally.

It’s old fashioned, definitely, but easily recognizable to me (I’m in my 50’s). Would I use it in conversation? Maybe, but probably not.

My niece is 7 and I guess her dad says this? Niece says "not for Tina China!'

A couple variations I’ve heard: for all the whisky in Ireland / for all the cheese in Wensleydale.

I like to use this just because it's a fun term, But not something I hear all too much.

Not common, but definitely understandable. Adds an old-timey/folksy ring to it, at least in American English.

People would still know what you’d mean if you said it. If you want something common-sounding / something that people will recognise as a normal part of language, then there are a lot of options already mentioned here. “Never in a million years,” “wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole,” “not for all the money in the world.” If you want something that stands out and really emphasises the point, use one of the old ones or make up your own, the more unexpected but “relatable” the better.

Never heard it before. 33, US Midwest

Very old fashioned, and also not very North American. This is kind of something you would expect a British/English person from the early to mid-1900s to say.

I have heard it used, but it is definitely old fashioned.

No, it's outdated. Might still hear "What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?" which means something else.

Fine in UK, if a bit dated. Still hear it.

It is extremely old-fashioned. Not in common use anymore.

Something my grandparents would say (and I’m old enough to be a grandparent). I’m sure it would be widely understood still though, it’s perfectly transparent in meaning.

I've never heard that in my life, but it's charming and I'll probably start saying it now. 😂

It is still used

I wouldn't do it for all the nuggets at McDonalds.

Haven't heard it any time recently. My parents used to say "what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?" As a response to a seemingly nonsensical statement/response though

I know the phrase only from the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the one with the whales). In the scene where Captain Kirk is having dinner with the whale biologist played by Catherine Hicks, he gets caught using his communicator and decides to tell her the truth about being from the future. She thinks he's crazy, of course. When he says, "You want the details?," she replies sarcastically, "Oh, I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China."

Not used anymore. I feel like it would come across a little awkward in an almost xenophobic way. Like, this guy thinks China's just all about tea. Kind of reductive. I'm not saying that the phrase itself is actually problematic, but these days, people don't tend to use phrases that reference other countries in the way this one does.

I recall my mother saying a different version, "What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?" I don't think I've ever said it. I recall thinking it was kind of weird and wanting to respond, "I don't know, why did you just bring up tea in China? I wasn't talking about tea in China. Were you talking about tea in China?", because that's my brand of dork. I think basically the expression has become very old-fashioned.

Still somewhat common here in the UK. Not sure a younger person would use it though.

Never heard it before but I like it. China has some really good tea It's not used but people will understand and you might sound clever. You can kinda just make things up as long as it makes grammatical sense "I wouldn't take that job if hellfire rained from the sky" Less funny, but understandable

I've never heard anyone say this, but it's very easy to understand what it means.

Aw my grandma used to use it. I think. I might be making that up. She's dead now, I can't ask her.

I was reminded immediately of the chorus of All My Little Words by the Magnetic Fields: Not for all the tea in China Not if I could sing like a bird Not for all North Carolina Not for all my little words

I hear this locally on occasion in Lancashire. I sometimes use it.

never heard of it

I've heard it, but it's not commonly used anymore.

The one I hear (and use occasionally) is, instead, "I wouldn't do it for all the gold in Fort Knox", but that may be regional (I live in Kentucky).

I have never heard of it. However in the US at least and based on the definition, we'd more likely say "even for a million dollars."

I've heard it this way, but I've more often heard it as "Not for all the rice in China."

I still hear it, and say it, occasionally in the Southern United States, but we hang onto old sayings like family heirlooms. We pass them down like Mamaw’s cast-iron skillet.

Forms of it are. I've never heard the "tea in china" part. But the expression is often used along with something the speaker enjoys. "I wouldn't do it for all the Syup in Canada" or "...all the money in the world"

Only old people still say it where I live.

It's an old one for sure, only ever heard it in old Looney tunes cartoons. Maybe heard it like twice in my 33 years of life outside of television.

I live in Midwest America, and I've never heard this specific idiom before. I have heard countless variations of it though!

My grandparents used to say it a lot. More updated phrase is wouldn’t do it for all the money in the world. Even then mine is getting dated as well but the listener would understand and not think it odd.

The people I've heard use that expression would all be over 100 years old if they were still alive.

my (UK) grandmother (born 1922) used to use it, my parents don’t and tbh I don’t think i’ve heard it since she passed away in 2012. So it was nice to see it again :)

It's very old fashioned, I've only ever heard it in old movies or from people who are about 70+ years old now. (Am in Australia, for reference.)

“you couldn’t pay me to” or “you couldn’t pay me enough” would be better

"Not for all the money in the world" same meaning

It's an older meme, sir, but it still checks out.

Sure, not like every day, but I've used it.

I would guess it fell out of popular use due to its functionality- I can't imagine many scenarios where it is useful. However, any native speaker with half a brain would know what you mean, and the expression's kind of funny for being pointlessly indirect and semi-obscure, so go ahead and use it.