The word Gaijin Don't you like Japanese…

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Posted by: mimi33_yume Original: 6/14/2006 1:26 AM Views: 93 Comments: 11 eProps: 16 Read Comments Post a Comment Back to Your Xanga Site

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2 eProps from: rrtideman claytoniantomb rsnumber2 Kurenai_kaishin bubblygal86 jitenshajin mirai33 ryokenkelly

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

The word Gaijin

Don't you like Japanese people to call you "gaijin"?

Gaijin is a short form of Gaikoku-jin , which is translated as foreigner. Gaijin literally means "outside person" and "outside-country person" for Gaikoku-jin.

The Japanese word Gaijin is controversial. The use of this word is now very sensitive, because it can be considered offensive in some circumstances. It has been banned in broadcasting and publication worlds.

I wonder why Gaikoku-jin is no problem to use but not Gaijin? Japanese have a tendency to shorten long words like Poke-mon( pocket monster) and Kimu-Taku( Kimura Takuya). It is not like English term "Jap".

Gaikoku-jin and Gaijin seem to be white or black people for most Japanese, while Japanese usually refer to Asian people by using their country name. For example, Chugoku-jin for Chinese, Kankoku-jin for Koreans and Indo-jin for Indians.

Here is some history. The first term for foreigners in Japan was Nanban-jin when a Portugese man came to Japan in 1542, but the use of it disappeared due to national isolation( sakoku ). When Tokugawa shogunate opened Japan's borders, westerners were called i-jin ( literally means "different person" ). The word Gaikoku-jin came up during Meiji era and Koreans, Taiwanese and other foreign people of Japanese territory were not called Gaikoku-jin at that time.

Gaijin is just a short form of Gaikoku-jin...

Lots of people who came from foreign countries and are living in Japan hate being called Gaijin, I guess it is just because of Japanese behavior towards them using the word Gaijin.

Westerners think the word Gaijin is an insult, as if they are being lumped together with all other people who are not native Japanese. They consider it an insult, and Japanese are slowly starting to understand this.

An American, Italian and French consider themselves totally different, but to Japanese, they all look the same. This is why westerners hate this word...westerners want to be referred to by their country of origin.

What do you think ? Do Japanese discriminate against you?

Posted 6/14/2006 1:26 AM - 93 Views - 16 eProps - 11 comments

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11 Comments

I think that the Japanese people should really do what they want without regard to what people from other countries think. If you allow your country to be influenced by outsiders that are essentially minorities in Japan then I can assure you that the demands will be never ending.

There will always be someone that is offended no matter how polite or innocuous the situation is intended to be.

I do not see “Gaijin” as a derogatory or demeaning term. It is simply a descriptive word used mostly for those of us from Western European descent.

Really no big deal.

Posted 6/14/2006 2:41 AM by rrtideman - reply

It is often used dersively, and I am therefore against Japanese people using it to refer to me. Gaikokujin is a fine and polite word.
Many words that are polite in one era become rude in another. For instance, in America, it used to be perfectly acceptable to use the word "colored" when refering to someone with dark skin. Nowadays, it's very rude.

Posted 6/14/2006 9:50 PM by claytoniantomb - reply

While I was visiting, if I was clumsy, or not understanding what the other person wanted, I would point to myself and say "Baka Gaijin!" It always made the situation a bit lighter. Everytime I did that the store clerk, or whoever I was communicating with, would smile and giggle a little. Some foreigners treat others as stupid because they don't speak their language, even when they are the visitor. I knew I was the guest, so I tried to make the situation a funny one, as opposed to a tense one. I think it worked. ;)

Posted 6/14/2006 11:19 PM by rsnumber2 - reply

The word Gaijin seems to become funny in some situations, but become very offensive sometimes. When I am with foreign friends, my mother calls them "Gaijin-san" and I become so sensitive thinking about their feelings. Many Japanese still use Gaijin without knowing their feelings. ... I think.

Posted 6/15/2006 1:15 AM by mimi33_yume - reply

I guess it's not really offending to categorize all non-Japanese by the word Gaijin. What you said Mirai is absolutely true, Japanese people can't differentiate a French person from a British. And let me tell you that in many "Gaikoku", people call ALL ASIANS "CHINESE". I know PLENTY of people , both in my original country and outside, who can't make the difference between Japanese, Chinese, Koreans...for them, they are all Chinese!! or Asians for "better informed" people!
As for me, since I've never been to Japan before, I don't know how it will feel to be called a Gaijin, but I think that I have to accept it anyway, since I am definitely not a NIHONJIN!!!!
By the way, I tend to use the word Gaijin to refer to non-japanese people, including myself!!

Posted 6/15/2006 5:50 AM by Kurenai_kaishin - reply

haha, Kaishin, you are not Gaijin in Japan any more! Instead, more Japanese!!!

Posted 6/15/2006 11:22 AM by mimi33_yume - reply

It's not like they mean it as an insult, is it?

Posted 6/18/2006 11:24 AM by bubblygal86 - reply

Hi Mimi san. I'm happy to see that you are still writing nice articles about Japan and Japanese culture. I never really thought of 外人　as being a bad word, but one time I felt a little uncomfortable. I was riding my bicycle outside of Tokyo, on the sidewalk because the street was a bit narrow. I came up behind a group of high school girls and said "sumimasen" to let them know I wanted to pass. One of the girls looked back and then said "gaijin" and they kind of took their time moving aside... I felt like saying "wakarimashita" in reply to her "gaijin" but I just passed them and kept quiet. It wasn't so much the word, but the way she said it, if you know what I mean. It really didn't bother me though. I figure they just don't see too many foreigners in their town.

Posted 6/19/2006 2:52 PM by jitenshajin - reply

Yes, Jitensha. Nowadays, an issue of Japanese ignorance about other countries and foreign people have become the talk. Many Japanese don't see and have chances to talk with foreigners. Calling and staring at you are one of the result. Thanks for the comment! mirai

Posted 6/20/2006 9:06 PM by mirai33 - reply

I personally don't mind whatever they decide to call me. Having a better understanding of their country and ways, I think I also understand better why they use that term - it's easier! Some of the hugely-complicated phrases and words have to be cut down and saying 2 syllables is much easier than having to say 3-10 just to say 'that guy from Australia' ('Oosutoraria-Jin no Hito' is much longer than 'ano gaijin').

Posted 7/8/2007 8:51 AM by Erebeetaa Jin - reply

As japan considers itself to be internationalized country now, I`d believe that it would consider the feelings of others. The "Gaijin" term personally I dislike. To keep things fare and balanced, what could be perhaps? I prefer to be referred to by my racial Identity "Hakujin" as the japanese refer themselves. Here`s a brain scratcher " Can you escape being a "Gaijin"? Nope. You are either born it or not, which makes this whole package a caste system. This is where the element of racism floods in. Even if you were born in Japan, BY LAW you are not Japanese unless you have Japanese blood. Untainted, that is,

And even if you so choose to naturalize , you will still not be a nihonjin (Japanese person). I would have to advertise myself as a nihon kokumin (Japanese national), which is fine by me, but it says a lot about my ability to fit in.

And it also says a lot about our ability to play the game as Japanese tell us is proper. There is no proper channel for us defined by this society. So we have to make our own.

The first step is to acknowledge the image we are being given and deal with it.

Posted 11/4/2007 6:36 PM by ryokenkelly - reply

Choose Identity

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