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anonymous
Q: what could be the english equivalent of the word LAOWAI?
shi laowai
There is no equivalent, because we don't perceive the world as being fundamentally divided into our country and everyone else.
Mateusz:
According to Chinese thinking, there are only two countries in the world. There's Zhong Guo, and Wai Guo.
It literally means 'old foreigner' but the term 'lao' is a respectful one and here one can hear it in many different ways: lao pa, lao ma, lao shi, etc. All depends in what tone it is spoken.
There's really nothing in English, since English speakers don't really have the same connection between race and nationality that China does (aside from ethnic nationalists, like members of the British National Party). The closest equivalent would be probably "chink". "Laowai" is a word used by Han Chinese to disparage people of European decent, while "Chink" is used to disparage Han Chinese (or groups with a similar appearance... Tibetans, Russians, or other minorities wouldn't be called chinks).
Only difference is you don't see many people trying to tell Han Chinese that chink is just an informal term for foreigners, and they shouldn't get so worked up over it.
mike695ca:
this dude has been reading this site for months looking for an excuse to call them chinks. good job man, ya managed it 4 times! has your douche quota been filled yet?
Mateusz:
Mike:
Well, good job. I honestly can't tell if you are trolling, or legitimately being ignorant.
I'm not so sure the term laowai is so disrespectful. It depends on the register and delivery of the term within a social context.
For example, if a Chinese friend refers to me as a laowai in a conversation amongst friends, I take no offense. He is simply referring to his "foreign friend". However, if the term is spat at me in anger coz I got the the only available taxi cruising down the road before he did, then it might mean something like "foreign asshole"' It's all in the contextual delivery of the term.
(By the way, I don't think I would refer to my Chinese friend as a "chink". In my opinion, chink is an old-fashioned term with heavy negative racist connotations akin to nigger for blacks or peckerwood for whites.)
Now to your question.
"Foreigner" is probably the closest equivalent of laowai although when I lived in Atlanta, Georgia, the term "foreigner" was deemed political incorrect during the Atlanta Olympic Games back in 1996. The organizing committee expunged the term "foreigner" from its manual of style and referred to people not from the U.S. going to the Games as international visitors or international guests or simply internationals.
As far as non-U.S. citizens living and working in the U.S., re the U.S. immigration folk (USCIS), they are referred to as "aliens."
So, take your pick. Foreigner, international or alien.
ambivalentmace:
raised in atlanta, miss the city, fried green tomatoes and pecan pie, damn im hungry.
mike695ca:
peckerwood is for whites? I had no idea. That doesnt sound very hurtfull at all. Ill just stick with what ive always used. Buttermilk
Red_Fox:
@ambivalentmace: Home cooking! Black eyed peas, red beans, ribs, fried chicken, po'boys, the Varsity on North Ave, grits and bacon grease! Man, I wants sum Southern downhome! 24 hours round the clock!
Mateusz:
The problem is that "foreigner" isn't really equivalent, because it doesn't have the same racial aspect that it does in China. Americans don't call people "foreigner" based on race or skin color (except for extreme nationalist, perhaps) but Chinese do. It means more than just "someone in a country where they do not hold citizenship".
Also, like all slurs, it's entirely contextual. Racist terms acquire their emotional impact by the way they're used, and that word is very often used as an insult.
I have done a lot of research on this because the term used to bug the hell out of me... it mainly depends on the tone used but... actually it was a endearing and respectful term...
When married couples in China address their husand or wife they add "lao" before it to show their feelings and respect.
Also the Tiger is called "lao hu" uses the same "old" in front of it because Chinese see tigers as cunning, wise and fast (they respect tigers). I doubt they are mocking tigers... who wants to mock a tiger?
Also "lao hu li" means a cunning and respected person (like an old fox).
So I don't really see any example of "lao" used as a disrepectful term. I would say in ancient China "lao wai" meant respected outsider. Like they had knowledge or items to trade with the locals.
Today... it depends on the way it is said and if the punk kid makes a remark after it or snickers.
But the word DID NOT comes from malicious intent towards foreigners.
Mateusz:
The problem is that you can't really break it down that easily. Consider how racist terms in English sound innocuous when you go by pure etymology.
Considering the culturally entrenched xenophobia, including in ancient China, it's hard to believe it was ever meant to be respectful, and it's even harder to believe in modern times that anyone uses it out of respect.
Regardless of if it started maliciously, it definitely is now. The word built up its racist meaning through use.
PVG-YXE:
wow, you are right. and when studying the meaning of chinese words, for a lot of words, you can break them down.
Why would this term offend anyone? 'lao' is more translated to respected and not old in this word. 'respected visitor' is a fair translation. i have a few friends who treat me great, and call me this from time to time. 'lao' is also used in the word 'boss' and 'teacher'. it is a respectfu term, althought it can be used in a disrespectful sentence, just like boss or teacher can. eg. Go pound some sand boss. you smell like sh!t teacher.
