Killer Fact 洋鬼子 yáng guǐzi

Killer Fact  洋鬼子 yáng guǐzi

Here is something interesting a pejorative term for foreigners 洋鬼子 yáng guǐzi  literal translation is a 'Foreign Devil'. 

Now where does this all come from?  I am glad you asked. Historically (not now of course) the Chinese viewed people beyond their borders as barbarians.

Two derogatory terms were used;

In the southern parts of China, the term Gweilo or Gwai Lo 鬼佬; Cantonese gwai2 lou2 was used.

In Northern parts of China, the term Western ocean ghost 西洋 鬼子 Xi Yang Guizi was used, Europe West of China.

Breaking it down;

The term gui 鬼 ghost in guizi devils 鬼子 is an adjective that can be used to express hate and deprecation. The character gui 鬼 alone can have negative connotations.

More information;

Westerners were called Yang Guizi 洋鬼子 during Boxer Rebellion 1898 - 1901.

Japanese military in the term devil soldiers Guizi Bing 鬼子兵 during the Second Sino-Japanese War 1937 - 1945.  The Korean military with the term Second Devil Er Guizi 二鬼子.

Guizi can be used to refer to either Japanese 日本鬼子; pinyin: rìběn guǐzi; literally "Japanese devil", or  東洋鬼子; pinyin: dōngyáng guǐzi; literally "east ocean devil".

Westerners  洋鬼子 yáng guǐzi; literally "Westernern devil, west ocean devil" or 西洋鬼子; pinyin: xiyáng guǐzi; literally "west ocean devil".

Now another word for foreigners in Mandarin Chinese is Laowai   老外 lǎowài literally "Old Outsider" (Alien is actually the best translation) is also a little bit controversial with some folk. Especially the expatriate community in China. Similarities in other lands include gringo  how some Americans view the Spanish/Brazilian Portuguese in their lands, the Japanese word gaijin,  Thailand has farang and Germans have Ausländer. By the way I have been a  gaijin, a farang and an  Ausländer and it didn't bother me.

你好。我是样鬼子。