# 老外
## Chinese

* 老外 (Written Standard Chinese)
* Laowai (English)

### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): lǎowài
       (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄨㄞˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): nao$^3$ wai$^4$
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lou$^5$ ngoi$^{6-2}$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): lau$^2$ ngoi$^{5*}$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): láu-gōa
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$lau-nga
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎowài
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄨㄞˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎowài
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-wai$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-wài
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laoway
*** Palladius: лаовай (laovaj)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ waɪ̯⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: nao$^3$ wai$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: laowai
*** Sinological IPA : /nau⁵³ uai²¹³/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ ngoi$^{6-2}$
*** Yale: lóuh ngói
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ ngoi$^{6-2}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ ngoi$^{6-2}$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ ŋɔːi̯²²⁻³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^2$ ngoi$^{5*}$
*** Sinological IPA : /lau⁵⁵ ᵑɡᵘɔi³²⁻³²⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-gōa
*** Tâi-lô: láu-guā
*** Phofsit Daibuun: law'goa
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ɡua²²/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /lau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ɡua⁴¹/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^6$lau-nga
*** MiniDict: lau$^去$ nga
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^3$lau-nga
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /lɔ²² ŋa⁴⁴/

### Noun

老外
* (colloquial, sometimes humorous) foreigner, particularly a white Westerner (Classifier: 個／个 m)
* (informal) layman; amateur (Classifier: 個／个 m)
* (Cantonese) father-in-law (wife's father)

#### Usage notes

The term is othering and controversial, as it may be perceived as racist. It is, however, not necessarily derogatory.

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 夷, 夷人, 外夷, 四夷, 胡人 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 外國人, 外賓, 外人, 洋人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 老外, 色糖 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 外國人, 老外 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 外國人, 老外 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 外國人 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 老外 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 外國人, 老外, 洋人 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 外國人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 老外, 洋人, 洋鬼子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 洋人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 老外, 洋人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Yanqi | 外國人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 老外 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 外國人, 夷人 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 洋人, 老外, 洋鬼子 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 外國人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 老外, 外國人, 洋人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 外國人, 洋人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 外國人, 洋人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 老外, 洋老咪 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 外國人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 老外 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 外國人, 老外, 洋人, 洋鬼子 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 外國人, 老外 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 外國人, 老番 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 外國人 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 老外 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 番鬼佬, 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Qinzhou | 鬼佬, 外國佬, 番鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 老番鬼 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 外國人 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 外國人, 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Yangon (Taishan) | 紅毛鬼, 外國人 |
| Cantonese | Mandalay (Taishan) | 外國人 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 外國人, 洋人 |
| Gan | Pengze | 外國佬 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 外國人, 洋人 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 洋人 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 外國人, 番人, 番仔, 番鬼 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 外國人, 外國佬, 洋人 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 外國人 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 外國人 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 外國人 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 外國人 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 外國人 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 外國人 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 外國佬 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 外國人, 洋人, 洋鬼子 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 外國人 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 外國人, 番仔 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 番儂, 番囝, 番囝哥, 鬼佬 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 外國儂, 番仔 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 番仔 |
| Southern Min | Hui'an | 外國仔 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 番仔 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 外國儂 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 外國儂 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 外國儂, 番鬼, 番囝 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 番囝, 番儂, 番囝鬼 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 外地儂, 外國儂 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 番邦儂 |
| Central Min | Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping) | 外國人 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 番鬼佬 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 外國人 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 老外, 外國人, 外頭人, 洋人 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 外國人 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 外國人 |
| Wu | Danyang | 老外, 洋人 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 外國佬兒 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 番人 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 外國人, 外國佬, 洋鬼子兒 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 外國人, 外國佬, 洋人子, 洋人 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 洋人, 外國佬 |
| Note | Terms that include 鬼 and/or 番 are potentially derogatory. | Terms that include 鬼 and/or 番 are potentially derogatory. |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 西方人, 西洋人, 洋人, 白人, 白種人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 老外, 毛子 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 洋人, 西洋人, 白人, 老外 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 紅毛人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 洋人, 外國佬 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 洋人, 洋鬼子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 洋人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 洋人 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 洋人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 洋人, 高鼻子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 番鬼佬 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 洋鬼子 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 西人, 老西, 老番, 鬼佬, 番鬼佬, 鬼子佬, 紅毛頭, 紅毛 dated, 紅毛鬼 dated |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 西人, 白人, 鬼佬, 番鬼佬, 老番 dated, 紅毛鬼 dated, 白鬼 dated |
| Cantonese | Macau | 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 老番, 番鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 老番, 番鬼, 番鬼佬, 紅毛 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 鬼佬 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 鬼佬 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 洋人 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 洋人 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 洋人 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 番人, 番鬼仔 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 洋人 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 洋人, 西洋人, 阿啄仔, 鉤鼻仔, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 洋人, 西洋人, 阿啄仔, 鉤鼻仔, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 洋人, 西洋人, 阿啄仔, 鉤鼻仔, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 洋人, 西洋人, 鉤鼻公, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 洋人, 西洋人, 阿啄仔, 鉤鼻仔, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 西洋人, 紅毛番 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 紅毛人 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 番仔, 阿啄仔, 紅毛番, 𧺤毛的, 番仔鬼 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 番仔, 紅毛番, 𧺤毛的 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 番仔, 紅毛番, 𧺤毛的 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 紅毛仔 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 阿啄仔 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 啄鼻仔 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 阿啄仔 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 西洋儂, 阿啄仔, 啄鼻仔 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 阿啄仔 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 紅毛, 紅毛猴 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 紅毛, 紅毛儂, 紅毛猴 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 化人, 白種人, 西洋儂, 西方人 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 番儂, 紅毛囝, 番囝 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 紅毛, 紅毛囝, 紅毛鬼 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 紅毛, 紅毛儂 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 鉤鼻鬼 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 番鬼, 紅毛, 高鼻綠目, 高鼻塌目 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 洋人 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 番人, 高鼻頭 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 紅毛洋人, 洋人子, 洋人 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 岳父, 岳丈 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 老丈人, 丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 岳父 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Ulanhot | 老丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Tongliao | 老丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 老丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 老丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 老丈人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 岳父 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 丈人, 老丈人, 岳父 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 丈爺, 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 老丈人, 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 丈人爸, 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 丈人 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 老丈人, 老丈母爹, 丈母爹, 老岳頭兒, 老岳 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 丈人 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 外父 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Bayanhot | 外父 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 丈人爸 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 外父, 老丈人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 老丈人, 岳父 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 親爺, 老親爺, 丈人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 老丈人, 親爺 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 老丈人 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 丈人老, 岳父老 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 丈人, 老丈人 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 丈人 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 丈人 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 老丈人, 丈人 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Huanggang | 妻爺 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 外父, 丈人佬, 老外, 岳父, 岳丈 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 外父, 岳父 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou) | 外父, 岳父, 主人公 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 外父 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 外父 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 外父佬 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 外父 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 外父 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 外父 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 丈人佬 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 外父, 外父佬 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 外父佬 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 外老 |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 外父佬 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang | 外父佬 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 岳父, 外父 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 岳父 |
| Cantonese | Yangon (Taishan) | 老外, 外父 |
| Cantonese | Mandalay (Taishan) | 外父 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 丈人, 丈人老子 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 丈兒公 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 丈姨爺 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 丈老 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Changting | 丈門老 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 丈母爺 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 丈人 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 丈人, 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 丈人, 丈人爹 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 丈人爹 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 丈人老, 岳父 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 丈㜷老 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 丈人老 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 丈人老 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 丈人, 丈人老 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 老丈人, 丈人 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 丈人, 老丈人, 外父 |
| Jin | Taibus (Baochang) | 老丈人 |
| Jin | Linhe | 外父 |
| Jin | Jining | 外父 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 外父 |
| Jin | Baotou | 外父 |
| Jin | Dongsheng | 外父 |
| Jin | Haibowan | 外父 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 丈人 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou (Changle) | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Yongtai | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Fu'an | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Ningde | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Shouning | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 丈儂 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 丈面老 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 丈儂, 丈儂公 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 丈儂, 丈儂公 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 丈儂, 丈儂公 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 丈儂, 丈儂仔 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 丈儂, 丈儂爸 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 丈翁老 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 丈儂 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 外家公, 外家公爸 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 外家爸 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 外家爸 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 丈儂 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 丈儂, 丈儂公 |
| Central Min | Yong'an | 俺人, 丈人 |
| Shaojiang Min | Shaowu | 丈人, 丈人公 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 外父老, 岳父 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 丈人, 丈人阿伯, 丈人老頭 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 丈人 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 丈人 |
| Wu | Danyang | 老丈人, 丈人 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 丈人老頭兒 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 丈人老頭, 丈人阿伯, 丈人 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 丈人老, 丈老, 丈人 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 丈人 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 岳老子, 丈人老子, 九尺五 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 丈人公 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 丈人家, 丈老子, 乾爺 |
| Xiang | Hengyang | 岳老子, 丈老子 |

#### Descendants

* → English: laowai

#### See also

* (of Japanese) 鬼子 (guǐzi), 日本鬼子 (Rìběn guǐzi), 東洋鬼子／东洋鬼子 (dōngyáng guǐzi)
* (of Koreans) 棒子 (bàngzi), 韓棒子／韩棒子 (Hánbàngzi), 高麗棒子／高丽棒子 (Gāolí bàngzi), 思密達／思密达 (sīmìdá)

#### References

* Yanfeng Mao (2015) “Who is a Laowai? Chinese Interpretations of Laowai as a Referring Expression for Non-Chinese”, in International Journal of Communication‎, volume 9, pages 2119–2140