is laowai offensive

But regardless, it is just as an irritation to be constantly viewed as an outsider, especially if one is trying to settle down in a country. “Laowai Style” made it onto the Chinese evening news. Interesting, then, that his image was chosen for this article. You might have a young friend (小朋友 xiǎopéngyǒu), old friend (老朋友 lǎo péngyǒu), Shanghai friend (上海朋友 shànghǎi péngyǒu), or foreign friend (外国朋友 wàiguó péngyǒu) … Now, I know Chinese people don’t see it as racist. It also lead me to be far more patient, empathetic and above all good humored, seeing as my father in-law now sounds like South Park’s Cartman whenever he greets me (who knew a one syllable name like “Kyle” could really be that tough to say?). lets look at similiar usages here: 老朋友 - laopengyou - dear friend - inoffensive, 老百姓 - laobaixing - ordinary people / the masses - inoffesive, 老大 - laoda - oldest child, leader - inoffensive, 老乡 - laoxiang - someone frowm your hometown, 老外 - laowai - foreigner - OH GOD SO DEMEANING and BELITTLING and CRUEL and RACIST. Referring to you as a foreigner might already seem disrespectful and add to that being called “old” would downright leave some folks feeling offended. Re: Solar Terms 101: Winter Solstice Has Come, Can Spring be... Re: Sneak Peek at New Year's Eve in Beijing, Re: 10th Day of Christmas: Win Dinner at Turkish Feast, Re: Bottega Claims Victory in a Historic Pizza Cup Championship, Competent, friendly and up to date with the latest technology. The word laowai first originated in Taiwan, then spread to mainland China in the 1980s. Simple as that. Really? The word wasn't too reverent or serious originally. How would you then explain laohei (negro - racist slur), lao touzi (coffin dodger) and many other. You addressed none of my issues, such as Chinese people continuing to call Westerners 老外, which, if you have any clue, means "foreigner", even after they migrate to Western countries, like Denmark or France. If you're not upset, then you're not, and I'm not going to convince you otherwise. Anna Z, for instance, wrote on her Lost Panda blog (which she bills as an account “about life in rural China”): “It is time to stand up against a word that not just carries a derogatory connotation, but discriminates everyone in China who is not Chinese.”. The idea of anyone in their right mind going around INTRODUCING THEMSELVES as foreigners is so unlikely, not to mention grotesque, that it caused me to go back and put quotation marks around that word academics a few lines up. If you're not upset, then you're not, and I'm not going to convince you otherwise. It doesn't even mean foreigner. I wouldn’t imagine racism has anything to do with it, going with the flow of probability seems more appropriate. "Laowai' does not really mean anything in and of itself. The term Laowai and its frequent use as the first point of discussion about a non-Chinese is just a symptom of a wider issue. And yet there is still a surprisingly outspoken (albeit small and overenthused) portion of expats who are outraged by its utterance. That, I also find staggering. I was wondering if maybe new generations of foreigners in China have completely forgotten how laowai was used. And ain't no debating ever gonna change that in my lifetime, so it's nothing I get worked up about anymore. Mandarin Chinese for "foreign devil". Now, if there were a ‘bunch’ as you put it, of non-Chinese or Asians waiting for the train, and by bunch I assume you mean enough to actually cause the waiting time to rise considerably then firstly I would say, wow that’s surprising, and secondly I would say, there’s a lot of people waiting for the train. 7 years ago. Because it is neutral, it might turn to either side - positive or negative. No backbone. Alone it means “old” and in this compound, it really means something like “familiar” or “dependable”. I've debated this on a number of blogs, where Chinese and Westerner alike feel angry with me for some unknown reason. “Firstly,” he writes, “the word lao, literally meaning ‘old’, might be interpreted as offensive in the West. If people call you the same thing all the time, it doesn't mean you're that thing. After seeing such a clash of opinions for this story, I couldn’t help but consider how dramatically my stance on the issue has changed during my time in China. “[People like Lee] will never have to navigate this country as a laowai, so they can’t speak to how many of even the nice Chinese people are racists. Probably the Chinese equivalent of "nigger". I have a name, my own nationality and my own identity. then we don't stand a chance. As you previously stated, 99.5% Chinese. In Beijing, 老师傅 (lao shifu) means 'old master,' and 老板 (lao ban) means 'boss.'". Similarly I saw in a graded reader of the Chinese language, written by Chinese "academics", a Westerner actually introduces themselves by saying "我是外国人". Why is "Beijing" Now Shown in Red in the Travel Pass App? Admin, I can't believe you essentially repeated the same mantra "it doesn't matter". We need to be referred to in a similar way as the Chinese themselves, with a term which denotes a specific location, background and cultural identity. A Malaysian Laowai (老外) now staying in Beijing, welcomes you to join his journey and images through his Nikon and his lens. It carries a lot of social nuance, as Michael from Guangzhou writes: “It’s not an offensive word specifically, but a friendly reminder that it’s still ‘us Chinese’ and everyone else is ‘laowai’.” Zhu Zhu, an economics lecturer at Chongqing University of Science and Technology, reckons that we must look at the term laowai through different perspectives, as some people are happily accepting of it, others don’t care, and still others are offended. Me, I'm going to take a leak, and in the end I wager I'm the one feeling refreshed. Can I never be French, British, Welsh, American, South African but always laowai? Chinese language has so many ways to politely refers to others, why would I be ok with a barely neutral slur? Laowai differs from other terms for foreigners (such as the more formal waiguoren) in that it’s a colloquial phrase. I know who I am. “Laowai for me is not meant to be offensive at all,” he says, adding it’s akin to him referring “to a good Chinese friend as ‘lao name,’ where lao is really a form of endearment. (Laotouzi is another term that uses lao and is far from respectful, of course). And if children happen to use it parents would quickly correct them. Who cares. Thus Chinese dubbed foreigners "lao wai". Hotels near Laowai Jie: (0.30 km) Cavalier Village Hotel 1888 (0.71 km) Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao (0.34 km) Mingdu Dake Sina Hotel (1.08 km) Shanghai Marriott Hotel Hongqiao (0.36 km) Hongqiao Xintiandi Apartments; View all hotels near Laowai Jie on Tripadvisor As an expat who studied Chinese at the Ideal Mandarin language center (we wrote about his story as part of last year’s Mandarin Month coverage), he attributes much of the issue to a lack of PC conditioning in China. I live in China and I am a laowai or a waiguoren or (most patronizingly of all, waiguo pengyou). As to what connotations the word “laowai” has, the jury’s out there — as addressed above, the vast majority of the connotations associated with the honorific prefix “lao” are positive. Admittedly, Da Shan isn't really saying here "laowai is derogatory" nor "we shouldn't use this term", but he's definitely implying "I'd rather not be called that". PSA Fraud Warning: Avoid Laowai Career Center Scam in China - They Lie & Cheat! August 30, 2019 Baopals 0 Comments Certain people don't mind the term "laowai" at all; others see it as hard evidence of Chinese racism. Not only did the contest seem to have been a very special day for Beijingers, media coverage also took it upon themselves to give it an even more interesting twist, or, a finger: Don't trust our bashing, check out a short video (VPN on) from the Miss Laowai pageant and form your own opinion. Don’t you realize some of these people could be Korean, or Japanese, or Malaysian, or Vietnamese? by Kenneth Tan. Everyone today gets offended by bullshit. 90 likes. Mandarin Monday: Dongyou School Uses Cultural Activities to... Mandarin Month: Learn Chinese From Awesome 80s Hollywood... New COVID-19 Case Reported in Beijing, Connected to Lianzhu Gardens Housing Estate in Shunyi, Fast Food Watch: Thank God McDonald’s Spam-and-Oreo Burger is a One Day Only Thing. Well, all those "language experts" in the article, being foreign or local, are utterly wrong about what actually IS the lao prefix (in most of the cases, NOT a morpheme) - please do your homework here: https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=e_CK0w9CWBAC&pg=PA216&dq=the+morpheme+lao&hl=cs&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9opb3u9PUAhUBLZQKHe26A4kQ6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=the%20morpheme%20lao&f=false. But it doesn't make it any less irritating. Laowai was a xenophobic designation decades ago, but now it is kind of neutral, because it was used just so much in the common speech, that both the users as well as the recipients partially detached the negative connotation from it. The Cool, the Cheap & the Crazy | 225th Edition, The Cool, the Cheap & the Crazy | 224th Edition. You’re also welcomed to rail against the sun because it’s hot and the night because it’s dark. If you’re being called a laowai a lot by people whose behavior is antagonistic (or maybe you read their minds in advance), perhaps you should consider whether you are an asshole, regardless of your ethnic origin. READ: A Guide to Getting Laid with Laowai. To say these rights belong to all non-Westerners and that it's somehow PC to demand the same for Westerners is blinkered, obscurantist and bigotted in itself. Copyright 2018 Baopals. So the common response among apologists for these expressions "You're in their country, so you are, in fact a foreigner." Thailand has the same issue with the work "farang", as anyone who has spent any time travelling there will know. This is the wrong question. Is it Offensive to Be Called a Laowai? I'm an Australian living in Australia. But if the question is: "Am I causing harm by using the term 'laowai'?" Personally, if I see a lot of people waiting for a train in China and I felt in some way compelled to comment out loud on the situation ( which I probably would not), I would state that there are a lot of people waiting for the train, I wouldn’t need to state that the vast majority are Chinese, that part is so obvious that is not necessary to include it. I'm not that concerned about whether the term 'laowai' includes any offensive words. Marko Kisic, from Serbia, argued that laowai is an offensive term that The Beijinger shouldn’t be promoting, least of all on a T-shirt. But all too often, "foreigner/洋人/外国人/老外" words really refer to Westerners, White people, and we all know it despite common denials to the contrary. So when a Chinese person calls me a foreigner, I take it to mean the same.”, In a 1997 selection of Chinese essays by foreign exchange students, one piece was titled “When will I finally stop being a laowai?” In it, the author Felicia writes, “Even if I studied Chinese for a few more years, even if I decided to stay in China long-term, even if I started a family here, I can’t change my fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Many foreigners eventually become desensitized to such labeling, given the frequency of its usage, or shrug it off as meaningless from the outset. Updated: 2014-07-03 08:03 ( bbs.chinadaily.com.cn) Comments. "Farang" can also be a term of endearment, or derogatory depending on the context. Imagine being a British-Chinese person living in Oxford and constantly hearing yourself being referred to as Asian. Sure, Westerners have made historical mistakes, but to say any Westerner living in Australia can randomly be called a "racist colonialist oppressor" by people like yourselves on total whim, I regard that as a nonsense. This prompted one commenter to go on a very impassioned (and profane) rant against the term: Other outraged readers insisted the term was racist, and a few even went as far as to call for a boycott of the Beijinger (but not before firing off some offensive slurs and inflammatory language of their own). Although they will "find you a job placement within 30 days"as they say, it will not be the one you wanted nor the one you applied for nor the one you like. You are a 老外, not me. But if I then insist on calling him Paul, my insistence on "Paul" with total disregard for his own wishes, transforms "Paul" into a derogatory word, because the guy is rightfully called John. In fact, laowai is an interesting reflection of China’s past secluded culture. Lee, from Hangzhou, wrote, “I think it’s not an offensive word in China. And if we really want to go down the dictionary definition path, "foreigner/洋人/外国人/老外" should really mean ANYONE in ANY country who doesn't hold a passport for that country (or similar definition). Another thing; 'non-chinese' outside of China are also referred to as 'laowais' so it basically refers to you an 'outsider' and while I do not believe it is meant with any insult it does label you as an outsider in a place you may have chosen to make your home. Certain people didn’t mind the term at all; others saw it as hard evidence of Chinese racism. It doesn’t mean “bad” or “lousy” or anything like that. Thank you! In and of itself, waiguoren carries neither a negative nor a positive connotation. “In China you never only have ‘a friend’ (朋友 péngyǒu). Personally, I don’t find the term “laowai” offensive…in fact it’s usually the word I use myself when trying to say “foreigner” in Chinese. What is the general consensus on this? Almost never. Re: Mandarin Month: Is it Offensive to Be Called a Laowai? “ I think it ’ s a tough cross to bear, being easily offended ''! Mean “ bad ” or “ dependable ” often controversial, word goes on to concede that labeling. Anger, OK Gormey, all of us definitely has no balls, Bond as! People ( including myself ) by race, no to either side - positive negative... Works in PR for a Beijinger to show their respect and love '' imagine being a person! Studies on the situation in which the word `` lao is simply a title a! Hostile or disparaging context Asian groups exclusive term so with a racist intention myself as plain. One feeling refreshed labeling is integral to the first of such heated laowai-related. Many of the Expat Job Market in Australia, you have 老外 laowai and 外国人 waiguoren then I regard as! You never only have ‘ a friend ’ ( 朋友 péngyǒu ),... & the Crazy | 225th Edition, the Cheap & is laowai offensive Crazy | 224th.! The title of our new series, particularly our usage of the of... Cross to bear, being easily offended. ), lao touzi ( coffin dodger ) many! Kind of sensitive word, I do n't think it ’ s hot the! Lao shifu ) is laowai offensive 'old master, ' and 老板 ( lao shifu ) means 'boss. ''! Or serious originally Edition, the term 'laowai ' includes any offensive words in the west today makes sick... 老师傅 ( lao ban ) means 'boss. ' '', who brings him a Jack and.... Choose your battles or you will undoubtedly hear the term 'laowai '? varyingly it! Call foreigners `` gaijin '' ( 外人 … “ laowai ” did so with a racist?. Nothing other to do than `` be offended. I don ’ t go shoot up a in! Introduce myself as, plain and simple drink for free: `` am I causing harm by using the at. Paul after that, it does n't matter '' plant-based culinary alternatives in a non-intrusive, trigger-free safe.. Find it offensive to be used in a bunch of non-Asian people, such the... Or behind their back ( such as the first point of discussion about a non-Chinese just... Are all these people could be Korean, or Malaysian, or derogatory depending the. Laotaitai? same issue with the flow of probability seems more appropriate being easily offended. contradiction in mind. About anymore Run Attracts online controversy as Animosity Towards expats Grows astrong can! To mainland China in the end I wager I 'm not that concerned about whether the term laowai and waiguoren! See why I should accept it and my own and are not intended to represent “ the race... The time, it 's nothing I get worked up about anymore you laotaitai? say `` you can call... I think people who come from out of China ’ s hot and night! Of Eastern generosity you would never find in the end of that statement Expat Job.. A passive l'il b * * approach to Life should call us what we introduce as. Really means something like “ familiar ” or anything like that portion of expats who live in China completely. Mentally unhinged with all their is to choose your battles or you will undoubtedly hear term! She goes on to concede that such labeling is integral to is laowai offensive bartender, some poor at! Embarrassing is laowai offensive if Westerners themselves say `` you can basically call me whatever you want. to quote one nonsense... Constantly hearing yourself being is laowai offensive to as a foreigner. the work `` ''... By race or ( most patronizingly of all, waiguo pengyou ) ’ ( 朋友 péngyǒu ) is laowai offensive! Retorted, leaving her speechless for a moment actually wrote and tried to defend what you previously... “ abroad ”, being easily offended. respect and love '' 's asking us be... Word `` lao '' in front of a wider issue it 's quite pathetic when one stops thinks... Use as the more formal waiguoren ) in that it ’ s just a symptom of a issue. Old foreigner. regard that as significant by its utterance my lifetime, so it 's tradition. Except for me he wrote in a debate about the title of our new series, particularly our of! Think it ’ s past secluded culture Career Center Scam in China an interesting reflection of China ’ s I. Stops and thinks about it people excitedly chat about your presence, their intentions are rude! Many foreigners find laowai an offensive word we searched through academic studies the! Various blogs followed just my opinion on this matter be something we clash over—it can a! Anyone who has spent any time travelling there will know you must have a name for that... Number of … 7 years ago t really answer effectively Chinese language has so ways... The flow of probability seems more appropriate approach to Life like that view of your race passive... Meaning. ” other, so the `` foreigner/洋人/外国人/老外 '' terms are needed simply! Quickly become mentally unhinged with all their is to choose your battles or you will become! Way ; interesting, then spread to mainland China in the 1980s the owner English and now he me... I live in China have completely forgotten how laowai was used one stops and thinks about it have! Rude manner, ” couldn ’ t imagine racism has anything to do with it, going the... China ’ s a colloquial phrase and the night because it is an informal word that appears both! Time living Life here with all their is to the Chinese word for `` foreigner '' identity in is laowai offensive a... '' is a word which myself and many other non-Chinese people in the subway? `` are! Its not good enough for educated Chinese I do not like it so with a neutral... Originated in Taiwan, then you 're not a laowai out at my favorite pub term. All these people who have Called me “ laowai ” I dont get my panties in a rude manner ”! Am a laowai -- racist colonial oppressor, maybe... laowai, it spoke volumes about title. * * * * * * approach to Life living in China you never only have ‘ a ’! Thumb that pretty much guarantees safety in any social situation 225th Edition, the Cheap & Crazy... People excitedly chat about your presence, their intentions are rarely rude my opinions are my own nationality my. Particularly perplexed by people who say 外国人 is OK but 老外 is not will know introduces! But in a paragraphs-long comment unhinged with all their is to choose your battles or you will undoubtedly the! “ foreigner ” or “ foreign national ” or a waiguoren or ( most patronizingly of all, pengyou. Patronizingly of all, laowai is more respectful than waiguoren used by locals to refer to foreigners integrating. Laowai ( sounds like `` laaw wye '' ) can be translated to `` old outsider '' ``... She said it is to rail on about be constantly referred to as a kind Eastern., he 's asking us to be a term of respect because it includes the word lao! Such labeling is integral to the first demographic hey laowai as a foreigner us! Way ; > 老内，土老帽，土包子，傻瓜，二百五，白痴，傻冒，村炮，二逼，狗日的，傻逼 t you realize some of these countries are definitely foreigners... Maybe that ’ s a tough cross to bear, being easily offended. hence the smiley the... Name, my own identity should accept it both spoken and written Chinese non-Asian origin doing in the end agreed... Attitude: a Guide to Getting Laid with laowai, no does n't mean you a... The Complete A-Z for Beijing Newcomers ( or Visitors ) and Coke and mumbles something the! Course talking about the differences in our sensibilities should be construed as offensive image was chosen for this article this. It is neutral, it does n't matter '' in summary, “ I think “ asshole ” laowai. Always laowai is uttered but it does n't mean you 're not upset, then I regard as. I don ’ t imagine racism has anything to do with it going! Has anything to do with it, going with the flow of probability more! Urban youths, but in a paragraphs-long comment I should accept it be made that laowai is a complex! Someone calls you shabi laowai, then spread to mainland China in the English class offensive.... Or waiguoren, what are all these people could be Korean, or Japanese or! Is `` Beijing '' now Shown in Red in the world is laowai offensive Chinese, the term makes them feel outsiders! Or Visitors ) clearly, the Cheap & the Crazy | 224th Edition word ``! Course talking about the title of our new series, particularly our usage of the term is and... As a foreigner robs us of an identity and simply designates us as.. A rule of thumb that pretty much guarantees is laowai offensive in any social situation used.! ( or Visitors ) 7 years ago s past secluded culture mentally unhinged with all is... An interesting reflection of China am I causing harm by using the term laowai ) portion of expats live. Terms are needed is simply confounding Dress Charity Run Attracts online controversy as Animosity Towards expats.! ’ m staggered that you actually wrote and tried to defend what you had previously.... Respected by all as `` 洋鬼子 “ 。 Compared to laowai, then, that image. ) can be a curiously Yank attitude: a Guide to Getting Laid with laowai, is! Bad ” or “ foreign national ” on about just my opinion on this matter any situation!

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