Is "Gaijin" a Racist Slur?

[Timey]

just some opinions.
"yellow" is used for all Asians. It's the same as people used the words "white" for caucasians and "black" for afro american people.
All have racism slur, i don't find it comfortable to hear anyone use this kind of words as it refer to the skin colour ---what the difference anyway ? we're all human race , why fuss ???
BUT...i find some people don't really understand the connotation meanings of the world and use it as the easiest way to differ people from different background, not intended as racism slur.

the word "CHINA" itself already have a racism slur if we look up the history when the word was first used in the war...oh..it has nothing to do with 窶吮??ﾂ坂?伉 kanji, at all. BUT as it become an international words already, why complain ?

and any stoopido try to argue that chinese or japanese people wouldn't find the words "yellow" offensive, try to use it on people who UNDERSTAND english...
bet you'll get punched on your nose for being an ignorant..

well...what to say..you deserve it..
in the end, it's all depends on the listeners..will they get offended ?
they have a right to get offended.

ever heard the word : "Respect" ??

oh, just in case anyone wonder..
i'm chinese grew up in other country, call me 'yellow', i don't care..
try to use in front of my face and i'll guarantee you'll end up with the tip of my umbrella stuck on your nose

 

[Hachiro]

ever heard the word : "Respect" ??

oh, just in case anyone wonder..
i'm chinese grew up in other country, call me 'yellow', i don't care..
try to use in front of my face and i'll guarantee you'll end up with the tip of my umbrella stuck on your nose

Well said, and I hope that other's take your point as well.

 

[godppgo]

in the end, it's all depends on the listeners..will they get offended ?
they have a right to get offended.
ever heard the word : "Respect" ??
oh, just in case anyone wonder..
i'm chinese grew up in other country, call me 'yellow', i don't care..
try to use in front of my face and i'll guarantee you'll end up with the tip of my umbrella stuck on your nose

I have yellow skin and I don't get offended when people call me "yellow". Serioulsy, what's the biggie? What's wrong with other people calling us by our skin color? Isn't that who we are?? I call my black friend black people and white friend white people, so why can't they call us yellow people?

Also what does respect have to do with any of these? The only reason why you think the words "China" and "yellow" are offensive is probably because you have such low self-esteem about your own identity that usage of such words offend you so easily. This is the same Asian-Pride/China-Pride crap commonly observed among young Chinese descendents who live oversea.

 

[Davey]

oh, just in case anyone wonder..
i'm chinese grew up in other country, call me 'yellow', i don't care..

you don`t care people call you yellow

try to use in front of my face and i'll guarantee you'll end up with the tip of my umbrella stuck on your nose

and here you DO care people call you yellow...

so what is it?

( we are all from africa, all have the same blood color, all have feelings, etc)

 

[Gaki]

I have yellow skin and I don't get offended when people call me "yellow". Serioulsy, what's the biggie? What's wrong with other people calling us by our skin color? Isn't that who we are?? I call my black friend black people and white friend white people, so why can't they call us yellow people?
Also what does respect have to do with any of these? The only reason why you think the words "China" and "yellow" are offensive is probably because you have such low self-esteem about your own identity that usage of such words offend you so easily. This is the same Asian-Pride/China-Pride crap commonly observed among young Chinese descendents who live oversea.

IIRC the term 'yellow' derives from when the Chinese communities in America who tended to stay amongst themselves and out of trouble were deemed 'yellow bellied' (i bet most people have heard that in the old cowboy movies).
Which is why some people find the word offensive.

Personally i use the term jokingly with friends but would not particuarly be pleased if someone i didnt know decided to call me Yellow.
From what i've heard most 'black' people in America arent too pleased with being called Black either.

TBH it's nothing to do with 'AP/CP crap' moreso the fact that people do not like to be classed by ignorant (and often outdated) terms. Try calling a black person a 'Negro' and for some reason i dont think that conversation would end very pleasantly.

 

[Glenn]

I've yet to meet a black person who's been offended by being referred to as "black."

 

[Timey]

you don`t care people call you yellow
and here you DO care people call you yellow...
so what is it?
( we are all from africa, all have the same blood color, all have feelings, etc)

i was being cynical and sarcastic, dear...
in real life, i don't think i would give a damn about people calling me 'yellow' --never so far-- i'll just ignore them. People like that just not worth for me to sweat.

 

[Timey]

I have yellow skin and I don't get offended when people call me "yellow". Serioulsy, what's the biggie? What's wrong with other people calling us by our skin color? Isn't that who we are?? I call my black friend black people and white friend white people, so why can't they call us yellow people?
Also what does respect have to do with any of these? The only reason why you think the words "China" and "yellow" are offensive is probably because you have such low self-esteem about your own identity that usage of such words offend you so easily.

dear godppgo..
just fyi i don't have low self-esteem and I don't get offended easily.
the word 'China' has derogatory meaning IF we try to dig on the history --where it was used in the war period. But as I said, i Won't complain or sue anyone for that..that was in the past, it's just one of the knowledges for me to know about my origin. And...i am NOT offended by THAT word.
as for the word 'yellow', honestly, dear...I've never find anyone used the word for calling people out of respect. The problem might not be the word itself, but the WAY people use it.
Some close friends might use it for teasing or joking..i wouldn't get offended by that..
It's when you met people in the restaurant somewhere and someone yelled at you : "Hey..Yellow! you can sit over there!!". THAT is offensive.
Again..it's HOW people use it, my friend..:chinese:

This is the same Asian-Pride/China-Pride crap commonly observed among young Chinese descendents who live oversea.

Do you have a problem with that ?
Not talking about country or origins..
Everyone got their own pride.
I have mine.
Call it crap, everyone got their own crap also.
and I love mine.

 

[Timey]

Well said, and I hope that other's take your point as well.

Thanks..

like i said, it's just some of my opinions..

BTW, back to topic..
about the word 'GAIJIN'..

I think Japanese people themselves know that this word had at least 2 version of translation, that's why they avoid using it when talking in front of foreigners.

Again...after talking to some of my non-japanese friends, they said that the word's always used when someone (japanese) tried to offense the foreigners purposely, to attack either physically or mentally.

As for some japanese friends I know, when I asked them about this term, they gave the understanding smile and said "sou desune...". Feel free to make a guess.

so far, i've never been called with that word.

literally, the word 'GAIJIN' means 'outsider', has nothing to do with 'country', no abbreviation, no nothing.

again..make your own guess.

 

[Mike Cash]

I think Japanese people themselves know that this word had at least 2 version of translation, that's why they avoid using it when talking in front of foreigners.

Who are these Japanese people who avoid using it when talking in front of foreigners? I'd like to meet them.

Are these the same people who are too delicate to ask me my penis size, my pubic hair color, my nipple color, how I like Japanese cooter, and the rest of that sort of stuff?

Again...after talking to some of my non-japanese friends, they said that the word's always used when someone (japanese) tried to offense the foreigners purposely, to attack either physically or mentally.

And I bet every single one of them didn't know they were supposed to be offended until some fellow gaijin told them they were.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Again...after talking to some of my non-japanese friends, they said that the word's always used when someone (japanese) tried to offense the foreigners purposely, to attack either physically or mentally.

As a non-Japanese person who lives in Japan and has a fair command of the language, I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment.

It depends on the context. Yes, that way of using the term exists, but I think its usage is much less confined to this than your friends seem to think.

Non-Japanese often get hyper-sensitive toward issues of race and "gaijin-ness", and find hidden meaning and motives that do not originally exist.

 

[RockLee]

Are these the same people who are too delicate to ask me my penis size, my pubic hair color, my nipple color, how I like Japanese cooter, and the rest of that sort of stuff?

Oh my god Mike! That got me laughing like mad when I read that !

off topic..
how do you delete the double posts here ? :?

You ask a mod ;-)

 

[Timey]

...

Are these the same people who are too delicate to ask me my penis size, my pubic hair color, my nipple color, how I like Japanese cooter, and the rest of that sort of stuff?

maybe..
and what's your answers ?

And I bet every single one of them didn't know they were supposed to be offended until some fellow gaijin told them they were.

no...they don't need some other fellow gaijin to tell them that
they got into the fight --of course not because of the word usage--,
learnt by experience and beat the sh!t out of the offenders...

 

[Mike Cash]

no...they don't need some other fellow gaijin to tell them that
they got into the fight --of course not because of the word usage--,
learnt by experience and beat the sh!t out of the offenders...

And just what was said, precisely, that caused them to do bodily harm to others, and risk imprisonment and deportation? Or was "gaijin" the only word they understood out of what was said?

 

[Timey]

Interesting..

of course everyone free to have their own opinions

in the end, it's all depends on the listeners, rite ?

maybe i was just being lucky never been called 'gaijin' so far..
i'm not saying i would be offended or not by the word also.
dunno,maybe, maybe not.

i'll get back to you guys when i meet one and report back,
whether it bothers me or not...hehe..

 

[Timey]

And just what was said, precisely, that caused them to do bodily harm to others, and risk imprisonment and deportation? Or was "gaijin" the only word they understood out of what was said?

i dunno, darling...

i don't like to argue
especially about something i'm not supposed to make any assumption

i just told you what i'd been told also.
they speak perfect japanese..at least better than the offenders speak english

and you haven't answer my first question..

 

[godppgo]

Do you have a problem with that ?
Not talking about country or origins..
Everyone got their own pride.
I have mine.
Call it crap, everyone got their own crap also.
and I love mine.

I find it a quite amusing and irresponsible act that when people who have never set their foot on Asian soil in their whole life and was too lazy to pick up at least some basic Asian language associate themselves heavily with Asian culture and openly embracing the so called "Asian/China Pride". These people don't have the slightest idea on the way of life in Asia(China) and being Chinese is all about.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Interesting..

of course everyone free to have their own opinions

in the end, it's all depends on the listeners, rite ?

maybe i was just being lucky never been called 'gaijin' so far..
i'm not saying i would be offended or not by the word also.
dunno,maybe, maybe not.

i'll get back to you guys when i meet one and report back,
whether it bothers me or not...hehe..

I've been called "gaijin" scores of times. Never felt the need to get in a fight over it, though.

 

[Hachiro]

The language belongs to the person who use it. Would you argue that the English should be the only ones allowed to define the rules and usage of the English language because it is their language ?

Not exactly a fair comparison, only one country speaks Japanese. If half the world or even a quarter of the world spoke Japanese then I might agree with you but that is not the case.

The English language is not as big a part of the culture as Japanese is to the Japan.

 

[Timey]

you got me..i'm lost!!

I find it a quite amusing and irresponsible act that when people who have never set their foot on Asian soil in their whole life and was too lazy to pick up at least some basic Asian language associate themselves heavily with Asian culture and openly embracing the so called "Asian/China Pride". These people don't have the slightest idea on the way of life in Asia(China) and being Chinese is all about.

heee ?

what do you mean ???

you mean me ??

care to ask me first -nicely- before make any jugdement ?

WHAT is your problem ??

 

[Timey]

I've been called "gaijin" scores of times. Never felt the need to get in a fight over it, though.

I guess i'm gonna learn a lot from you..hehe..

never been caught in a fight before though..

 

[godppgo]

heee ?
what do you mean ???
you mean me ??
care to ask me first -nicely- before make any jugdement ?
WHAT is your problem ??

Where in my last post did you see me making judegment on you? I was merely making a statement basing on my observation and experience with the Chinese wannabes living oversea. No need to get hyper-sensitive here.

 

[Hachiro]

I've been called "gaijin" scores of times. Never felt the need to get in a fight over it, though.

If I had a 100 yen for everytime I was called "gaijin" I would be a millionaire 10 times over.

I guess that is a part to some of us being able to live in this country as long as we have, our ability to adjust and not let the little crap that happens in daily life here(or for that matter anywhere) like being called "gaijin" matter.

 

[Timey]

You ask a mod ;-)

thanks..
how ?

 

[Timey]

Where in my last post did you see me making judegment on you? I was merely making a statement basing on my observation and experience with the Chinese wannabes living oversea. No need to get hyper-sensitive here.

cos you quoted my post when you posted that one.
so, i guess i wasn't being hyper-sensitive.

I apologize if i happened to misunderstand your post there.

so, care to share some about your observations ?

*offering peace*