# Expat guy



## Antonio Serrano

Hi! I'm thinking in creating a new blog and I want to say "An expat guy living in Shanghai". How can you say it in Mandarin?

Many thanks!

Antonio


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## Skatinginbc

There are quite a few options: 
1. 上海老外, 老外在上海, 上海外国佬, 外国佬在上海
2. 上海洋人, 洋人在上海, 上海西人, 西人在上海
3. 上海外侨, 外侨在上海
If you prefer a literary style, you may consider the following: 
4. 上海异客, 上海异邦客, 上海异邦人
If you desire to use derogatory terms for humor, you may consider the following at your own risk: 
5. 上海鬼佬, 洋鬼子在上海...


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## zhg

For me the most natrual saying would be 一个居住在上海的外国人, (I guess the situation is that you want to use it to introduce yourself.) so don't use 外国佬 it sounds rude to me, not sure for 老外But I personally avoid it for the same reason and other options provided by Skatinginbc aren't that common here.

(Especially for 西人, is this suppose to mean Spaniards or Westerners it's confusing.)

Regards


Edit: maybe I have misunderstood the word "expat", is it a synonym for "foreigner"?


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## Youngfun

An expat is a "luxurious" immigrant, i.e. an immigrant usually from a rich country, with high level instruction, with a high paid job or doing business.
I don't know if Chinese has a specific word for this.


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## Antonio Serrano

Wow! Thank you for your help guys. Just to make it clear, "expat" is an informal abbreviation of the term "expatriate". It has two different meanings. The first one is "someone who is living in a foreign country", like my situation here in China. A synonym would be emigrant/immigrant.

The second definition has a negative connotation and it refers to somebody exiled or banished from one's native country. For example, when you have commit a serious crime. But I think this kind of punishment is not used anymore. Maybe some centuries ago the King, for instance, of one's country could banished you but not nowadays.

However, I realized that a lot of Western people living in Shanghai use this word instead of foreigner or immigrant. Maybe is a snobbishness or it is used ironically, I'm not sure. But I think this is why Youngfun got this impression, but literally "expat" doesn't refers to luxurious or wealthy immigrants necessarily. At least, it's my opinion. Maybe someone could help us answering this topic.

Anyway, thanks again guys!


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## Youngfun

Yes, literally expat is just an abbreviation of expatriate But now, not only in Shanghai, but in all over the world, expat has acquired the meaning I referred to above, as a way to distinguish it from the traditional "immigrant", who went to a new country to escape the poverty, and does jobs like waiter, factory worker, baby sitter etc.


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## Skatinginbc

Hm, what Youngfun said about "expat" is somewhat true.  The new connotations are still _in the process_  of forming and spreading and, as a result, have not received full  recognition by standard dictionaries yet.  It is commonly used as a term  for those sent by a company to work in a branch in another  country, usually for a long period of time (so they have a secured job  and get paid with $$$$).  From the perspective of the locals, the  connotations of the term "expats" may not be so great: They are chronic  complainers with a big ego, trying to live a lavish lifestyle (see  http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=expat).  Nevertheless,  the standard definition of "expat" is still "expatriate" (a person living in a foreign country), and I believe that's what the OP intended to say.


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## SuperXW

Although slang terms like 老外 are originally Sino-centric, it has became pretty popular and widely welcomed today as many foreigners are referring themselves as 老外. Chinese people would feel the guy is interesting, open-minded and easy-going.


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## Skatinginbc

I think 老外 is a friendly term of address, at least from the Chinese  speakers' point of view.  We often address our friends by their surnames  plus a prefix-老 (e.g., 老王, 老陳, 老李, etc.), an act of endearment rather than dissociation.  It is intended to show respect as well.  We call our teachers 老师, our fathers 老爸, our bosses 老板, our masters 老爷.  Although the prefix is included in some animal names, it connotes power (e.g., 老虎, 老鹰) or high rank (e.g., 老鼠, which ranks first in the Chinese zodiac).  We even address ourselves 老中.  If 外国人 is considered a neutral term, then 外 in itself means no offense.  外公外婆 are members of the immediate family.  Being called 老外 is ten times better than being shouted "Alien!" (as if someone from out of space, not even a human) by some strangers on an Oklahoma street. 
Not  many people know the original meaning of 老外, so its negative  connotations are barely in Chinese minds.  Indeed, it used to mean 外行生手 during the Qing Dynasty.  It was natural then to describe a newcomer as 老外, someone new to  a country where everything is strange to him.  Perhaps the full beard  of some Westerners also reminded ancient Chinese of the gray-bearded  character known as 老外 in Chinese opera.


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## zhg

I agree with you Skatinginbc that 老外 is not necessarily offensive, since we also use prefix-老 to address people , but haven't you realize most people called(e.g., 老王, 老陳, 老李, etc.) are _senior _citizens ? As far as I am concerned this word is age-ism, if we analyse 老外 word by word, it is simply a combination of 老 and 外国人, therefor it is inapropriate to address all the foreigners, regardless of their age and gender, with the same word 老外, especially to those who take their ages very seriously( And to my knowledge, it's not OK to ask about others' ages (especially ladies)unless they are willing to tell you, let alone to use a word that implies they are old) .  As least 外国人 does a better job and it keeps a simple and nuetral meaning without the potential of being offensive.


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## Skatinginbc

zhg said:


> haven't you realize most people called(e.g., 老王, 老陳, 老李, etc.) are _senior _citizens ? As far as I am concerned this word is age-ism


Hm, perhaps some, but not all, Mandarin speakers would associate it with age.  老朋友 is not a friend who is old.  老师 is not a teacher who is a senior citizen.  To me, 老 is an honorific prefix used to address someone who is senior in rank or status (e.g., 老师, 老板) or who is close in relationship (e.g., 老朋友, 老爸).  One problem I have with 老外 is its being somewhat gender-specific.  I strongly associate 老外 with males.  A female addressing herself 老外 may come across as somewhat "funny" to me.  The OP's user name Antonio is a male name, so I assume gender-connotation would not be a problem.


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## zhg

I am not gonna argue with 老朋友 老师 老板 these are different cases and they are very likely to be off-topic. The thing is that we need to find a word for  "expat guy", and in my humble opinion, 外国人 is just enough, though expat implies( or not) the person is rich.


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## Skatinginbc

There is a difference between "An expat guy living in Shanghai" and "A foreigner living in Shanghai" (一个居住在上海的外国人).  The latter sounds so neutral that evokes a sense of dissociation or isolation--a temporary stay in a strange land with little motive for assimilation.


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## SuperXW

zhg said:


> I am not gonna argue with 老朋友 老师 老板 these are different cases and they are very likely to be off-topic. The thing is that we need to find a word for  "expat guy", and in my humble opinion, 外国人 is just enough, though expat implies( or not) the person is rich.


I don't feel 外国人 "foreigner" and 一个居住在上海的外国人 "a foreigner living in Shanghai" is enough for "an expat guy" at all... "Foreigner" is just too boring...


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