Nicknames For Foreigners In The Middle Kingdom

The Chinese name for China is ‘Zhongguo,’ literally ‘Middle Kingdom.’ In traditional Chinese culture, China is the center of the world, between heaven and earth. We like to use this name ‘Middle Kingdom’ when we are talking something that is really different from America. I don’t know why, we just do. That’s why I’m using it here.

About nicknames: if you are a foreigner in China, you are gonna get called something. Count on it. Some common things I hear:

1. Laowai (pronounced ‘laow why’). This is a generic word for foreigner—it literally means ‘old outside,’ as in ‘old outsider.’ There are debates as to whether this word is an insult. It can certainly be used as an insult, but in my experience it is usually used passively. But, it is not friendly. This is not someone who is happy to see you.

2. Waiguo pengyou (pronounced ‘why gwa pung yo’). This means literally ‘outside kingdom friend’ and it is a friendly way to talk about/to a foreigner. I have had Chinese citizens say to me, “You’re not a laowai, you’re a waiguo pengyou.” E. told the story of taking a taxi and wondering if she was going to be ripped off, but then she heard the driver tell his friend over the CB that he was driving a waiguo pengyou, and she knew she’d be okay. T. and I were called waiguo pengyou by the farmer’s family.

3. Aiyi (pronounced ‘I eee’). This is my favorite nickname, and it means “Auntie.” This is usually from grandmas telling their grandkids to call me aiyi, and I take it as a very big compliment. It means you are trusted.

4. Your professional title. My professional title is “Laoshi” (pronounced “laow shuh’)which means ‘teacher’ (literally ‘old master’). The title comes after your name. (My Chinese surname is Feng (pronounced ‘fung’), so here I am Feng Laoshi.) Strangers I meet sometimes call me this after they find out I am a teacher, and people in my neighborhood I buy things from also call me this.  Because China is a hierarchical society, everyone has a title. Whenever I talk to bus drivers, waiters, cooks, taxi drivers, sellers, etc. I use their title (without a last name, because I usually don’t know it.) This is really different from the U.S.

5. Yanggui (pronounced ‘yong-gway’). This means ‘foreign devil’ and is a pretty big insult, but luckily I’ve never heard it used toward me. Sometimes foreigners call themselves ‘yanggui’ as a disarmament gesture, or to show they know the insult, and it usually gets a reaction from a Chinese person if you do this. I think it makes them uncomfortable, or so I’ve heard.