Context: wife’s parents say ‘how it rich in the morning?’ My wife says ‘good’ next minute: ‘no… how are gaijins in the morning? What do they do?’ I get it’s probably just curiosity, but part of me just doesn’t like being called that I dunno what it is. Maybe insecurity I dunno.
26 comments
ITT: yes, no, maybe.
The word ‘gaijin’ can quite easily be used as an expression of disdain, depending on tone and context, but can also be used as a non-offensive, albeit mildly rough-sounding, term for non-Japanese people. The word ‘gaikokujin’ isn’t offensive unless the speaker finds some way to really spit the word out in a hateful way.
Context is everything my friend.
I would call my foreign friends “filthy gaijins” while joking, but if someone on the streets I know would start talking shit about me and calling me it, then it would be offensive indeed.
I hate the word gaijin, but that’s just my opinion. I tell my students it offends me, and they’re mostly careful.
Depends how it’s used but I don’t see being a foreigner/outsider as something offensive.
I really don’t think so
I identify as Strong Zero
It’s not on purpose but I’m not a fan when they use gaikokujin when they know exactly what country I’m from.
I can’t speak for my own nationality let alone every country.
It depends on how it’s used .. I think ..
People will call me sensitive but I equate it to be saying whites, blacks, mexicans etc instead of white people, black people, mexican people, etc.
On it’s own it’s not *exactly* negative just like gaijin but is usually used in a derogatory way or tilt towards it.
In my mind it’s not hard to say black people instead of blacks and I think it’s way more polite, just as it’s easy to attach the koku to gaikokujin.
Gaijin can be neutral or negative but is rarely used positively. Children are taught not to say it and it’s never used in formal settings.
I feel like it depends on context, like with everything. Your example, no. Not offensive.
I have never had a problem with the word, I happen to be one.
I find gaijin rubs me the wrong way, but gaikokujin is neutral if the context is discussing all non-Japanese in general eg a news report about overseas tourists. However, I’d prefer reference to the specific country as the best option!
The only time I pretend to be offended by it is when someone calls me a “hen na gaijin”. I get mock offended and say they should call me “hen na gaikokujin”.
you’re not being insecure
it’s offensive to be asked what 7 billion non-japanese people do or say or think. they couldn’t accurately answer about all japanese, no matter if they think they could.
saying “gaijin”, koku or not, doesn’t help at all, whether or not it injures by itself.
外人 is fine, but a little casual and could be rude. If a Japanese person used it to refer to me I’d be a little shocked lol, but it’s fine.
外国人 is fine, formal, and used very often to refer to people. Again, context matters. It’s absolutely fine.
I rarely hear people use gaijin except gaijins lmao.
Gaikokujin is literally The Word for a foreigner. There is no other word which translates as foreigner. Gaijin can be offensive depending on a context, but generally it’s just impolite.
For gaijin, whether it’s offensive or not depend on context and tone of the person.
But it’s rude, it’s like saying jap instead of japanese. Did you do something worthwile in your life by not pronouncing the full word and saving those 0.2 seconds?
At least for me, if I go in a shop, if the clerk tell anything instead of “gaikoku no kata” then it’s fuck off.
Gaijin is definitely not polite – count how often you hear it on TV. Some here argue differently, but I’ve noticed there is a pretty big crossover between “gaijin isn’t an insult” and the can’t really speak Japanese types. My in-laws would never say it, and they are faaaar from worldly.
Depends on the tone, you can usually tell when someone is saying 外人 or 害人
I think intentions are everything here. If its intended to offend its intended to offend. If its used in a benign way its not a problem at all.
Japanese is a language where there is no truly taboo word synonymous with English taboo words. English as a language focuses on the single meanings of each word but Japanese as a language focuses on the holistic package, including the intentions of the speaker. Japanese is a very poetic language.
If you think about it, everything you can say in Japanese can be made to offend if you adjust your tone and your facial expression as you say it. This rule applies to the word gaijin too.
What I see is a cultural issue where some people from western societies prefer to disregard this difference and try to apply their own rule into the foreign language, Japanese in this case. Its far more fruitful to learn and understand what Japanese truly is as a language instead of trying to antagonize good people with good intentions.
Edit:
Modern western societies also explore “trigger words” as a way to determine bad language. The issue with such a perception is that a few bad apples in society can easily transform a previously neutral word and turn it into a slur, effectively killing off the word. I would say that western society as a whole needs to rewire this perception because it only takes a few influential folks or groups with malicious intentions to damage a language. I think English is transforming (not necessarily in a good way) because of this perception.
You can search here. At least pre-corona, it came up every few months. As I get closer to a decade here, my opinion remains unchanged: it’s not the word, but rather the intent. This became a thing on the news many years ago and I had a taxi driver correct from “gaij-” to “gaikokunokata” mid-sentence. Either one is fine for me. There are very few cases in which it bothers me and, when it does, the rest of the speech has already been purposefully impolite
Tone, facial expression, and body language are more important to me than anything.
If someone sneers at me saying gaijin, then yeah, it’s offensive
If a 14 year old student who I always get along with says sensei, you’re a gaijin right? You should know….I feel nothing
The English “Thank you very much” can be very derisive, if you think about it.
Nothing is offensive. Being offended is a subjective personal stance, so your question can always be answered as a simple no.
But you are totally free to feel offended by anyone telling you anything, it is a you problem really
My Jp in-laws use it all the time and notable not in a demeaning way or tone
it’s just a lot easier and quicker to say when talking