China series, Part 9: 老外

[Prometheus]

老外 - laowai

This is a term that most foreigners in China hate and most Chinese can't understand why.

To the Chinese it simply means "foreigner".

But here's the thing: they only use it to refer to white people and they still use it when they are abroad. Yup. A group of Chinese in Australia or Canada or wherever will refer to the white people around them as "laowai" and therefore cannot mean "foreigner."

It means "outsider"; "not one of us."

Chinese people who use the term intend no malice per se, but once you realize that it's a word meant to keep you separate, you can't help but feel that it's pejorative at heart.

The proper term for "foreigner" is 外国人 (waiguoren) and children learn this as the proper word to use, but at home they learn the word laowai, especially from grandma and grandpa.

Most of us foreigners will even caution Chinese friends from using the term in our presence. When the Chinese friend gives you a "who are you to tell me what you are?" look (which happens), it's time to find a new friend... and more evidence that the word does NOT mean "foreigner."

However, many of us will use the word amongst ourselves much in the way that black American people might use the n-word.

Aside:

My city has a high number of college students from African countries, and they REALLY don't like most of the black Americans in town. The Africans don't like the "fake poverty" of black Americans. They don't understand the strange names and absolutely hate the faux-African ones. And most of them really, really hate being called the n-word (even in a collegial manner) because to them it's a slur. Period.

There are slurs in Mandarin for white people that are far worse than laowai but they are rarely heard by us, unless some drunk Chinese guy is getting dragged out of a restaurant or bar... or just before he gets dragged out of a restaurant or bar. You get the idea.

In the end, a white person could become completely fluent in the Chinese language and all of their customs, renounce their native citizenship in favor of a Chinese one, and even become a vocal proponent and member of the CCP and the Chinese would still refer to that person as a laowai.

[ant-mac]

Jan 28, 2021 2:09:34 GMT Prometheus said:

老外 - laowai

This is a term that most foreigners in China hate and most Chinese can't understand why.

To the Chinese it simply means "foreigner".

But here's the thing: they only use it to refer to white people and they still use it when they are abroad. Yup. A group of Chinese in Australia or Canada or wherever will refer to the white people around them as "laowai" and therefore cannot mean "foreigner."

It means "outsider"; "not one of us."

Chinese people who use the term intend no malice per se, but once you realize that it's a word meant to keep you separate, you can't help but feel that it's pejorative at heart.

The proper term for "foreigner" is 外国人 (waiguoren) and children learn this as the proper word to use, but at home they learn the word laowai, especially from grandma and grandpa.

Most of us foreigners will even caution Chinese friends from using the term in our presence. When the Chinese friend gives you a "who are you to tell me what you are?" look (which happens), it's time to find a new friend... and more evidence that the word does NOT mean "foreigner."

However, many of us will use the word amongst ourselves much in the way that black American people might use the n-word.

Aside:

My city has a high number of college students from African countries, and they REALLY don't like most of the black Americans in town. The Africans don't like the "fake poverty" of black Americans. They don't understand the strange names and absolutely hate the faux-African ones. And most of them really, really hate being called the n-word (even in a collegial manner) because to them it's a slur. Period.

There are slurs in Mandarin for white people that are far worse than laowai but they are rarely heard by us, unless some drunk Chinese guy is getting dragged out of a restaurant or bar... or just before he gets dragged out of a restaurant or bar. You get the idea.

In the end, a white person could become completely fluent in the Chinese language and all of their customs, renounce their native citizenship in favor of a Chinese one, and even become a vocal proponent and member of the CCP and the Chinese would still refer to that person as a laowai.

An excellent post... very informative.

Is there an equivalent counterpart that a mere "laowai" could use in response?

[SRK]

What do white people call Chinese people?

[Prometheus]

Jan 28, 2021 3:19:56 GMT ant-mac said:

Jan 28, 2021 2:09:34 GMT Prometheus said:

老外 - laowai

This is a term that most foreigners in China hate and most Chinese can't understand why.

To the Chinese it simply means "foreigner".

But here's the thing: they only use it to refer to white people and they still use it when they are abroad. Yup. A group of Chinese in Australia or Canada or wherever will refer to the white people around them as "laowai" and therefore cannot mean "foreigner."

It means "outsider"; "not one of us."

Chinese people who use the term intend no malice per se, but once you realize that it's a word meant to keep you separate, you can't help but feel that it's pejorative at heart.

The proper term for "foreigner" is 外国人 (waiguoren) and children learn this as the proper word to use, but at home they learn the word laowai, especially from grandma and grandpa.

Most of us foreigners will even caution Chinese friends from using the term in our presence. When the Chinese friend gives you a "who are you to tell me what you are?" look (which happens), it's time to find a new friend... and more evidence that the word does NOT mean "foreigner."

However, many of us will use the word amongst ourselves much in the way that black American people might use the n-word.

Aside:

My city has a high number of college students from African countries, and they REALLY don't like most of the black Americans in town. The Africans don't like the "fake poverty" of black Americans. They don't understand the strange names and absolutely hate the faux-African ones. And most of them really, really hate being called the n-word (even in a collegial manner) because to them it's a slur. Period.

There are slurs in Mandarin for white people that are far worse than laowai but they are rarely heard by us, unless some drunk Chinese guy is getting dragged out of a restaurant or bar... or just before he gets dragged out of a restaurant or bar. You get the idea.

In the end, a white person could become completely fluent in the Chinese language and all of their customs, renounce their native citizenship in favor of a Chinese one, and even become a vocal proponent and member of the CCP and the Chinese would still refer to that person as a laowai.

An excellent post... very informative.

Is there an equivalent counterpart that a mere "laowai" could use in response?

Not really, but when my students or their family members use it, I usually respond with, "Wo bushi yige laowai. Wo shi yige laoshi." It's a wordplay on the word "lao" and means, "I'm not an outsider. I'm a teacher."

A teacher is supposed to be respected as highly as one's parents, not dismissed as a lesser human being.

It confuses the students, humbles the parents, and angers the grandparents.

[Prometheus]

Jan 28, 2021 8:02:51 GMT SRK said:

What do white people call Chinese people?

In English we call them... "Chinese people" or "the Chinese." Sometimes we say, "locals."

Anyone who uses any racial slur against the Chinese usually finds themself with no one to hang out with.