I’m saying it’s not an environment issue. It’s a helicopter parents issue.
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I know what people think the Chinese are in their minds if not out loud, but what do they call Japanese and Koreans? Or less culturally influential nations like Thais, Filipinos, Indians, etc.?
Interestingly, many dont call them foreigners. Until pressed on the issue.
So, Asians or just by the country? And how would they know the difference by sight?
east asian I guess. I’m not going to try and explain the logic, it is just funny how many people use foreigner to mean non asian looking. Sometimes they look for a mandarin word but need to revert to Taiwanese Adoga in a pinch. then when asked about black people…then back to vietnamese not being weiguoren and so the circle goes.
I just find it mildly entertaining trolling people to describe my race and how I’m and not one of them lol. When time allows.
Depends on tone and context.
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I think people who get offended easily and irrationally do. There’s no reason to unless the person is old and sensitive about it.
Strange. My wife said only low class people use that term. You are saying it is ok?
Laowai? It’s very common in China, but while you can hear it here, I think it’s just a matter of dialectal differences. People prefer waiguoren in TW.
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Yes laowai. That makes sense that it is used more in China. Her sister started saying it after living in China.
I’m going to buy a massive island and start a new dialect where you put the erhua after every sound. I’ll call the dialect 中兒文兒. I’ll make this island extremely successful and very influential in terms of business, culture, and education. Soon the entirety of chinese speaking countries will adapt this superior dialect.
All this purely for the shits and giggles.
My wife has a lot of opinions also but I don’t adapt them universally onto everyone. Maybe the fact that more mainlanders use it is why some call it low class. Maybe it’s just what older people say. As for OK, why not? I’ve been called laowai at least as often as I’ve been called laoshi.
But you do have some opinions that you apply universally. Like……
Oh yeah, for sure. Though that statement didn’t have the word “only” in it so it’s not universal.
And that’s a pity, laowai was a cool word back in the day when I lived in china.
Some people get triggered by waiguoren, or even the English word “foreigner”.
Wai guo ren is too formal. Who wants to be called that? Sticking the word lao in front of it improves things somewhat. People even call their cocks ‘lao er’. Who would call their cock wai er? nobody.
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Well. It doesnt make sense to call it a 外二.
外國人 at least means outside country person.
I’m just saying, even if it made sense, nobody would call it that. You wouldn’t call your cock something that made it feel more distant, even if it made sense. So why do it people? Ya get me?
Taiwan is a country of titles and judging people based on such classifactions. I guess that’s why. In the US I doubt you wouldnt see many white folks calling black people and asians foreigners to their face. Except “that” class that bigdave’s wife is talking about 
People from those cultures justifiably find it rude to call people out like that, especially if pointing is involved. But Taiwanese don’t normally mean any harm by it…need to see the context before getting upset, as icon notes.