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Q: Has anyone ever called a Chinese person a laowai?
I only ask because I have hosted Chinese friends in the USA, and they were calling Americans Laowai while they were here. I said that they were the Laowai because they're citizens of another country and in the USA. They responded that such wasn't true from their point of view. So, when I return to China next January, here's my response to the first local that calls me a laowai: I will say, "Ni cai shi lao wai". I plan on doing so just to make a point that people need to think outside their own perspective.
Has anyone tried this? What was the reaction?
Happened once back home in Vancouver...random dudes outside a restaurant (Chinese)...
I responded cao ni ma...ni shi laowai.
They froze up and scurried off...priceless.
I have always joked with my Chinese friends that once they were in my country they would be the laowai's....I was not kidding.
I usually tell them 'ni shi laowai' just after they say 'timbudong' or 'bu ming bai'. 
I want to 'ask' not 'tell', but I'm not sure how should I formulate Q in Chinese.
A couple of years ago, I went to a restaurant in Chinatown, London. A waitress called me 'laowai'. I looked at her and it must have registered straight away that I knew what the word meant.
I asked her where she originated from. She said Shenzhen but currently studying in London. I asked her how she would feel if British people referred to her and her colleagues as 'old foreigners' (or something worse). She then went scurrying off looking totally embarrassed.
Happened once back home in Vancouver...random dudes outside a restaurant (Chinese)...
I responded cao ni ma...ni shi laowai.
They froze up and scurried off...priceless.
I have always joked with my Chinese friends that once they were in my country they would be the laowai's....I was not kidding.
Hahaha. Why do I find this so funny.
I see where the confusion comes from. 'Laowai'=>direct translation 'old foreigner'=>meaning 'foreigner'. This is probably what you are told. Which is quite misleading. From my understanding, 'laowai' is not a bad word AT ALL.
'Lao' is an important proportion to make up for a nickname in Chinese. Say your family name is Liu, people will call you 'Lao Liu', typical nickname in China, you can be 10 years old and still be called 'Old Liu'.
Ok, now, foreigner=>waiguoren=>laowai(only caucasions).Black people=>laohei. American=>meiguoren=>laomei. Those are normal ones but it doesn't apply to any nationality. For an example, Indians=> a san. Korean=>Bangzi. Japanese=>(xiao)guizi/xiaoriben.
If you feel annoyed, you should call Chinese Laozhong.It's the most powerful/humorus response.It's better than calling them laowai, because they are not caucasions, so they are not laowai no matter where they are.
expatlife26:
It's not the word it's the fact that it's rude to call someone a foreigner no matter what word you use. It's like saying "outsider" or just "person who doesn't belong here"
I mean it's your country you guys can do what you want, but it's not polite globally.
That's why people stil consider China to be a developing culture, take that for what it's worth.
Lord_hanson:
A negative way to refer to mainland chinese is DaLu ren.
Mateusz:
There's no confusion, and those of us who have dealt with the slur are just pissed off at it. It's a racial (as you've noted), and insulting.
It's like calling someone Chink, and then saying that they just don't understand English, how British is shortened to Brit, and Australian is shorten to Aussie, so Chinese is shortened to Chink, which is totally just an informal/friendly/whatever way to refer to "foreigners". It insults our intelligence.
I've known many Chinese who use that word, and have a load more respect for those who 'fess up, admit it's insulting, and apologize, instead of coming up with some bullshit explanation that just insults my intelligence.
SpongeBob:
It's nothing insulting like chink ...I'm Chinese. But if you must get angry...and must think it that way...what can I say? Well, anger is bad for your health. 
Mateusz:
The word isn't insulting to you, because you don't have Chinese people calling you that word. Put yourself in the perspective of another person, of another race/nationality/ethnicity.
It's not that we "must think that way", it's the way it is. Instead of telling us to not get angry, tell Chinese to stop being racist.
sorrel:
on the street at home, people don't go around calling Chinese people 'chinks', especially not within their hearing.
TBH, SpongeBob, your answer is the standard answer i hear all the time that dismisses and trivializes the casual racist epitaph that I hear on average 5 - 10 times every day from even so called 'educated' people in China.
SpongeBob:
what is going on here...? everyone's mad at...me?
I'm just...telling the truth...laowai really isn't a bad word comparing with some other words you may not be interested in knowing which are truly insulting..
My suggestion here is, stay calm, everybody, even when you are replying to the super amazing me. But if you can't, don't worry, coz I like it. ;)
sorrel:
LOL SpongeBob,
People are not 'mad at you', I just point out how it is for a lot of us we know when 'laowai' is used as a slur and an insult.
And when we hear it over and over and over again.
You have fallen into to common Chinese response of failing to even try to understand the issue and are trivializing it.
Many of us are also well aware of the other words used within our hearing to describe us that are worse.
How would you feel if when you are in any other country that China and person after person says 'Chink' - or whatever the local equivalent is, directly to you and within your hearing, and then dismissing your response is irrelevant?
How would you feel if so-called educated people, called you 'Chink' or worse?
A former Departmental Head called me 'laowai' many times to my face in a childish attempt to provoke: he knew what he was saying as I did, but i did not rise to this.
So yes - 'laowai' is used as an insult.
TBH as soon as i left that meeting i laughed out loud at his pettiness.
Imagine i said to you: "you are a b***h and lower than me, but i don't mean anything by it. Ha ha it is a cultural difference."
It just makes me tired the number of times i have to repeat this to people, not mad - i wouldn't waste my energy.
dongbeiren:
It's rude to single someone out as a foreigner as expatlife26 explains and it's rude to talk about someone who is within earshot, I hear Chinese talking about me every single day whether it's my height, shoes, occupation, where they think I'm from or where my apartment is located. The only way this is acceptable is to hold Chinese to far lower standards than anyone else when it comes to basic civility. They constantly talk about each other too, especially when someone seems different. I'm guessing a Chinese person with a large mole on his cheek or a midget would constantly have to endure listening to people talk about his appearance within earshot too. The use of the word laowai is just symptomatic of the obnoxious behavior of many mainlanders.
SpongeBob:
I never know laowai is anything like chink. chink is insulting under any circumstances, but laowai is a very friendly word. try to learn Chinese guys! This whole question is stupid. It's just like when I'm called chinese. Should i be angry over that?
sorrel:
Again SpongeBob,
you are failing totally to understand the issue.
'Laowai' is used as an insult.
Many of the posters understand Chinese and understand the meaning behind the use of the word when applied to non-Chinese.
Just as we understand how derogatory the word 'Chink' is, which is why you will rarely hear it used by educated people.
There is a difference between calling someone Chinese, American, French, German whatever. These give country of origin/nationality.
Your response is similar to people making an offensive comment, and then trying to trivialize the comment or the person by saying 'it is only a joke' when everyone knows the intention behind the word.
You comment shows a lack of empathy.
SpongeBob:
I was so hurt with what people said that I could only manage to cover my face and cried. 
When my wife does something Chinese I say Silly foreigner
Our Kids think its great and say it now too
Ohh now I get why I sleep in the spare room 
expatlife26:
my bad, meant to upvote that was really funny.
Shouldn't mess around this site on my phone
i call them xiao zhong. But sometimes when im really pissed, I just smile and say zhina.
Then they told me is not a nice word, then i say also laowai is not. They say no is neutral, and then i say, ok well, zhina to me is also neutral...biiiitch
No but when I heard someone saying "laowai", I'll sometimes say, "Oh, a Chinese person" in Chinese.
Yes - especially to young children to are saying that to me - and then I explain that here in China, I am the 'laowai', but in other countries, they are... they get confused (cos of the concept of countries, nationality, etc), but the parents (or grands) tend to be ok with it.
Or, "bushi 'laowai' - wo shi zhen de ren" - again, confuses the kids, but the parents get the point.
But then, I'm in a capital city of a rich province on the east coast....
Let me teach you one thing. Silence is the worst form of contempt. Most people, not only Chinese, will feel incredibly offended and angered by a "non-reaction" when they expect you to react.
When they talk with each other about the laowai, give then a condescending stare and a crooked smile but do not open your mouth. They will instantly realize that you understand but at the same time it will frustrate them that you consider yourself too good to talk with them, that they are not worthy of your time. This will anger them more than any sort of reaction you could have, because Chinese are all about status and being the center of attention.
Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud. Chinese are very aware of this saying.
Shining_brow:
While this has merit, it's not calling people out on their BS that keeps things going. As you know, this place is all about face. If you make someone lose face publicly, they're much less likely to do the same thing again in the future.
dongbeiren:
Agreed, a condescending look is better than a loud or rude response. The type of nongmin who make those remarks know deep down that they are primitives. No need to honor them with an acknowledgement.
The thing is, "laowai" is racial, not national. China's concept of "foreigner" is different from Westerners, as far as I can tell (which is probably why "waiguoren" can't really be translated to "foreigner"). Chinese view someone as "foreign" if they are not Chinese, and further, being Chinese is seen as a matter of blood/race. If I was born in China and had Chinese citizenship (but same physical appearance), and a Han Chinese were born in America, I would still be the "foreigner" in their view, while the other would be Chinese
