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Q: Are you offended when you are being referred as Lao Wai ?
Laowai, laowai....it gets different meaning when ppl use it with different tone...but in general it's ok....
All netural words could have a bad meaning if ppl use it in a bad tone imho....
I've actually only overheard it (an caught it) 3 times in my presence, usually a taxi driver explaining that he had a foreigner in the car over the phone. Wasn't offended at all, although I could imagine offensive situations.
The only time I was offended (again, and actually understood what happened), was when a kid at my school was running around between classes, I was on my way to class. When he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks, paused for a second, turned around, ran and and shouted 白人 (bairen, or, white guy). Like there was an incoming and people had to be warned. The worst part is that he was my student, and knew exactly who I was, as the class had gone for 3 weeks at that point.
99% of the time it is non-offensive. In Cantonese, the term is Gwai Lo. Basically the same meaning.
The only time the phrase has ever anoyed me was when I walked past a grade school one day just before classes. There were about 100 kids gathered around the fence. Suddenly one of them shouted out "Lao Wai". The other joined in and for the next 5 minutes they all chanted "Lao Wai" at the top of their lungs.
I know they were kids, but if I had a molotov handy, I just might have used it. ;)
Yes.
A) - why does it matter?
B) it means 'outsider' (and, technically, not worthy of respect).
Just because it's become culturally ingrained doesn't mean it's actually ok. If we want to walk down that road, there's a stack of words I can start using, and see how they go... "Oh, but I don't mean to offend you!" Yeah, right....
I don't like to be called like that and I find really insulting.
The worst is when I hear some adults calling my child "laowai"....I usually stare at them with eyes full of fire. Then I call them "laonei"...even though, they must too stupid too understand the irony.
I don't know if I've ever heard someone call me laowai. Usually I hear "waiguoren" instead, and usually only when a group of children walk by. I live in a small city, so I may be one of the only foreigners they've ever seen. That doesn't offend me.
Doesn't bother me much if it's strangers. Better than "yangguizi" or "waiguolao" or "meiguolao" or "meiguoren" for that matter. Those last four words are never intended to be friendly, whereas I don't think there's anything inherently offensive about laowai in itself.
tmestep8:
What's wrong with meiguoren (unless, of course, you're not American)?
kchur:
If a complete stranger calls me "meiguoren" its usually because they have some ridiculous, half-informed beef to pick with the states, and it's usually followed by a rant about whatever bad shit he imagines me and chairman Obama have been doing to ruin China and hurt him personally. Also, in my country it's practically a hate crime to automatically refer to an Asian as "Japanese" or "Chinese". I'm back home right now and observing the double-standard the Chinese have going is sickening. And I'm not American.
Straw_ManNz:
I just think it's annoying to assume someone comes from the only other country you can find on a map.
nop. its not really ment to be an insult. its like beeing called a gringo in Mexico. not used as and insult. so if someone referres to me as laowai i dont mind. what i do mind is people pointing and screaming laowai at the top of their lungs for no good reason. followd by a hello that sound more like hellooouuuu.
once on a particularly bad day, i just ponted back and yelld ching chong chinaman at some guy. he didnt get it.
Jona:
He probably was happy and thought you were giving him an 'English Name' :)
rich45:
i guess it would be pretty awesome if he went around introducing himself to foreigners as chingchong.
Not really. Depends on the situation. I definitely prefer it to "yanguizi"
No, never offended by laowai or waiguoren. I do get offended when people point in my face and say it, or touch me on the subway, or just the other day on the bus a Father was teaching his little toddler to say chinese words, he then pointed right at me and said to his wee one "zhe ge shi shenme" . I am not a "that" i am ren just like you mate!
No. I know a few foreigners here who get horribly offended by it but they're all tw@ts anyway.
When I get called 'American' (which Im not), I call them 'Japanese'...and they usually get the point
we are foreigners in China so no big deal
how would you discribe yourself in general
or discribe a foreigner in your country?
If it gets to you just answer them with the name of your own country in Chinese
the results can be saterfying if your haveing a bad China Day
They can call me anything, except "Late for Dinner" ! 
I don't think laowai is as much the equivalent to the slur "chinks" so i'm perfectly fine with it.
Personally, I don't care what someone calls me. If it is a stranger, I just ignore them and move on. However, I think there is cause for an adjustment of attitude.
For example: I train my students to use the term "westerner (when applicable)" instead of "foreigner". This is preceided by what, exactly, the word foreign means. Not that it will probably do much good, but one has to start somewhere.
Yeah. I know. I'm a foreigner, but I'm a westerner, also...
kchur:
No, I agree. The word "foreigner" has a lot of implications that English-learners might not realize, and I think more than a few of them accidentally rub foreigners the wrong way by constantly using that word. It's responsible teaching, trying to get students in tune with subtle little things like that.
It is racist and a sign of poor education and no respect for fellow mankind. And the police and the crooks and thieves will target the foreigner after some ignorant local announces this insult. Grow uup china
I wear the label as a badge of honor...same with gweilo in Hong Kong...who cares.
Its no rude but it isn't polite either -.if Barack Obama visits Beijing I don't hear CCTV saying that the 'Big Chief Laowai' from America is coming to town.
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.
Never bothers me, I just respond with my name is ------------ and I'm -----------------, you can call me-----------------
Not offended by the term laowai but its bit annoying knowing ppl are talking about me, especially after the 1000th time.
I find the "HELLO's" more offensive than the "lao wai's". I usually respond to the "HELLO's" with some greeting from another language: bon jour, hola, konichiwa, etc. "Lao wai's" I just ignore.
