If the English in Hong Kong were cleaning toilets instead of running banks they’d be punching anyone calling them gwai.

We’re in agreement over the literal translation thing. Of course if you were translating a book you’d have to use foreign devil.

I just thought that in the nature of the post it’s more informative for those that don’t know to break down the two syllables.

Often Chinese claim it’s not offensive – I’ve had others say – look at what you did during the Opium War, of course you’re gwai.

Having said that, we seem to be in agreement on the essential. Yes, the problem with lo is that it implies that non-Chinese are subhuman, unpersons, not part of the human race.

I would concede that these terms are not necessarily used maliciously (apart from the woman in the PO, reflection of an increasing trend). But if they were used in English for minorities in the US, the scandal would never end.

As for lo, ok it doesn’t mean man. I usually translate it as bloke. My usually objection to the lo bit when I complain about gwailo is that Chinese are tongyan or junggwokyan – human beings – whereas we’re just lo – if you’re an older male, the same suffix used in the slang word for homosexual or madman.

You’re right, “gwai” means “devil”, but “lo” doesn’t mean “man”, as you claim.

The real point is that “gwailo” is used, not about real devils, but only about white people — hence the better translation as “foreign devils”.

You’re right, “gwai” means “devil”, but “lo” doesn’t mean “man”, as you claim.

The real point is that “gwailo” is used, not about real devils, but about “foreigners”, on the basis of their skin colour — hence the better translation of “foreign devil”.

Robert

The notion of HKers being bitter towards Foreign Devils is so ridiculous it’s comedic.

“Gwailo” means “foreign devil”, and is the preferred term of much of the population.

Rude, certainly.