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Shanghai Expat Forum Index » Community Discussion Forums » Chinese Culture Discussions

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Megs
Wonder Wit

Joined: Nov 12, 2005
Posts: 3829
Location: Jinshan, Shanghai China

Posted: May 21, 2008 - 10:01 AM

sbergman wrote:

Good question! Does weiguoren really mean "foreigner" or does it mean "person who is foreign to me"?

Not sure, but I was out walking with one of my friends the other day, and I called her a weiguoren, and she said "No, you are the weiguoren!" to which I replied "But you are a weiguoren to me!", to which she replied "True" and laughed.

Not sure if all Chinese would take that stance, but she agreed that everyone was a waiguoren to someone from a different country, etc.

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"Unless you are in a vacuum, this glass of which you speak will always be full, half of liquid, half of air, no matter your level of ignorance."

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: May 21, 2008 - 10:07 AM

waiguoren means foreigners for chinese people, thus only non-chinese can be called waiguoren wherever they are. Although you can call a chinese waiguoren (ni shi waiguoren a! )when he or she can not understand your chinese or did something "unchinese", sorta like " what planet/country are you from!", i think in this way it means " person who is foreign to me".

genghis

Raver

Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 486

Status: Offline

Posted: May 21, 2008 - 10:47 AM

So what would a Chinese person in a foreign country be called?

Say for example, I'm in the US and I am speaking Chinese with someone from China who is visiting? How would they refer to being a foreigner?

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: May 21, 2008 - 11:59 AM

nope, you just say another chinese, waiguoren only means non-chinese in most occasions. even an ABC usually would rather be refered as a chinese-american(mei ji hua ren) than waiguoren solely. of course, after all, the meaning of a word always depends on the context.

black_bird

Ranter

Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 595

Status: Offline

Posted: May 21, 2008 - 10:16 PM

Quote:

haiwai huaren oversea chinese.

---haigui --- turtle -- oversea chinese returned to china to work.

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Blackbird fly,Into the light of the dark black night. - The BEATLES =)

bloomark
Fire-eater

Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 2803
Location: Reality

Posted: May 22, 2008 - 06:08 PM

Quote:

Good question! Does weiguoren really mean "foreigner" or does it mean "person who is foreign to me"?

Strictly it is, but usually it is accomodated when pointing whites rather than blacks and yellow expats.

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Never expect accountable tips from a bitter rumrunner.

sbergman

StreetBeater

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2445

Status: Offline

Posted: May 31, 2008 - 07:18 PM

It's pajama season. Do people sleep in the pajamas they wear on the street or do they change into sleeping pajamas? Do people have dedicated "going out" pajamas?

What is the purpose of the stripe in the middle of the sidewalks (the pavers that go in a different direction)?

Megs
Wonder Wit

Joined: Nov 12, 2005
Posts: 3829
Location: Jinshan, Shanghai China

Posted: May 31, 2008 - 08:49 PM

sbergman wrote:

My "upscale" Chinese friends claim they never see these "Pajama People" I talk about. Laughing

I don't have an answer to that question unfortunately.

If you're talking about the bumpy stripe in the middle of the sidewalk, that's so blind people can find their way, and not fall off the curb (so I've been told. Hate walking on that part of the sidewalk.)

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"Unless you are in a vacuum, this glass of which you speak will always be full, half of liquid, half of air, no matter your level of ignorance."

SnappySammy

Board Buddha

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 15112

Status: Offline

Posted: May 31, 2008 - 09:30 PM

Here's the scoop.. The pajamas that people wear on the street, are never used for sleeping.... What you see are there going out Pajamas. A few months ago I was having dinner areound 11:00 pm .... not a fancy place, but a nice place. In walks two couples both in matching His and Her Pajamas. I thought how great it would be if Lady and Lord Bergie were to come in for dinner wearing their sleeping Pajamas!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats when I was told the people don't sleep in their outdoor pajamas.. It's also considered a low class thing to do, by most Shanghai People.... I have also been told that it is a "Shanghai Custom" and done in other cities....

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Yank My Doodle It's A Dandy

sbergman

StreetBeater

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2445

Status: Offline

Posted: May 31, 2008 - 09:51 PM

Don't you have something better to be doing than answering ShEx questions, you lucky devil?

SnappySammy

Board Buddha

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 15112

Status: Offline

Posted: May 31, 2008 - 09:56 PM

[quote="sbergman"]

Quote:

I've always had a (theoretical) thing for carpenters - they're usually in good shape, are smarter than a construction worker, and usually a bit rebellious which is why they work for themselves.

Thanks for your answers.

I saw a bumper sticker that said "Capenters Hammer Harder" it didn't say anything about how smart they are.....................................

You're right of all the trades Carpenters are the smartest, it's also( in the States) one of the few Construction trades that a Jew can apprentice in.

So is it Carpenters or Jewish that turn you on.... or maybe its Jewish Carpenters?

waiting for your (theoretical) answer

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Yank My Doodle It's A Dandy

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: June 01, 2008 - 12:12 AM

it depends.some people sleep naked, so that they have going out pajamas. some wear the same pajamas for both uses. some (guys) sleep and go out with no shirt on....comfortable for sure
the bumpy stripe is called "blind path", which is supposed to help blind people...and bicyclers who dont want to pay for parking bicycles.

maneo

LoopKicker

Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 857
Location: neither here nor there
Status: Offline

Posted: June 01, 2008 - 03:55 AM

Have heard that at one time having nice pajamas meant one was well off.
Wearing them outside then, would allow others to see you could afford that luxury.

sbergman

StreetBeater

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2445

Status: Offline

Posted: June 01, 2008 - 09:23 AM

As for your carpenter question, Snappy. Don't care what religion they are. They're buff and they have those leather tool belts and macho boots. I especially like to see them in the summer when they're wearing cut off jeans with their leather tool belts and boots. Plus they always, ALWAYS, have a good sense of humor. It must be required for the job.

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: June 01, 2008 - 11:50 AM

mmm,cut off jeans, boots,and good sense of humor...... are there any young pretty female carpenters in the states? definitely none in china Razz

maneo

LoopKicker

Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 857
Location: neither here nor there
Status: Offline

Posted: June 01, 2008 - 12:38 PM

Damn.
Forgot to pack my work boots.

boredengineer

SuperStar

Joined: Oct 17, 2007
Posts: 1344
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: June 04, 2008 - 03:12 PM

PG-30 wrote:

What does that bumpy strip have to do with bicyclists who don't want to pay for parking?

I thought the bumpy strip was just to try to divide people walking in opposite directions. China seems pretty 'blind unfriendly' for the most part. I do like walking on the strip though...like a little foot massage from a bunch of people with tiny, dirty hands.

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: June 07, 2008 - 07:15 PM

genghis

Raver

Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 486

Status: Offline

Posted: June 11, 2008 - 10:43 PM

Ok another question for any Chinese people, since this is the place...

Seriously, what is it about elevators that is so perplexing to the majority of Chinese people?

I need to know this.

THREE times this week (and it's TUESDAY) now I have gotten on an elevator only to have some idiot get on, get upset that it's going in the "wrong" direction, then proceed to press EVERY BUTTON on the elevator. For what? To get angrier now that the elevator has to stop at every freakin' floor?!?!?!

Seriously, what's the deal? It's a VERY SIMPLE CONCEPT. You want to go up, push the "up" button. You want to go down? Ready.... Push the "down" button!

What about this process is so difficult to understand?

And what is the deal with people forcing their way past you to get on the elevator and once they're on it, they press the close door button? They don't understand the concept that MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO USE THE ELEVATOR?

I'll be standing next to someone, waiting for the elevator. It's PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that we are both waiting for the elevator. The guy standing next to me will basically push everyone out of his way to get on, then instantly hit the close door button. The number of times I have tried to get in an elevator and have to force the doors open with my hands while some asshat is repeatedly pressing the close door button are too numerous to count.

I know that Chinese people have no concept of "lines" or "standing in queue", but this is just downright RETARDED.

I waste far too much time out of my day, basically because Chinese people have no real concept of elevators and how they work, compiled with downright rudeness.

There was a guy in my building who was bringing up some tables and stuff to what I suppose was a new office, and he had a lot of heavy stuff in the elevator. When he got to his floor, I actually helped him to bring the stuff out and I was rewarded by a guy closing the elevator doors in my face. This wonder of the human species was right in front of the elevator, and I know he saw me hit the button for my floor. I was trying to help out, and I get this retard, who might I add, was one of the same "gifted" individuals that pressed all the buttons because the elevator was going in a direction he didn't approve of.

So, can anyone give me insight into this?

I'd really love to know.

sbergman

StreetBeater

Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2445

Status: Offline

Posted: June 11, 2008 - 11:04 PM

It's a peasant farmer thing - they're clearly not Shanghainese. Wink

Just ask our friend yai.

genghis

Raver

Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 486

Status: Offline

Posted: June 11, 2008 - 11:10 PM

No, this has happened to me with people who are speaking Shanghainese as well.

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: June 12, 2008 - 11:47 AM

speaking shanghainese or born in shanghai is not the only standard of being a shanghainese, there are thousands of shanghainese-speaking-peasants. anyone who is not as cosmo as a shanghainese should be could be called "xiang xia ren"/peasant.
and about the elevator thing, i have to say get used to it, friend, you know there are idiots everywhere,i assume you have complained about idiots in your own country too, havnt you? Wink

genghis

Raver

Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 486

Status: Offline

Posted: June 12, 2008 - 03:23 PM

Of course! Idiocy is a world wide phenomenon!

I actually bitch about idiots MORE in the US.

PG-30

Reacher

Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345

Status: Offline

Posted: June 13, 2008 - 11:17 AM

yeah, and i think the idiot rate is the same among people. the population of china is 4 times as many as that of america, thus you have been very nice and friendly.