{"id":7469,"date":"2014-11-02T19:44:35","date_gmt":"2014-11-02T11:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/?p=7469"},"modified":"2015-05-21T21:23:38","modified_gmt":"2015-05-21T13:23:38","slug":"%e5%a4%96%e5%9b%bd%e4%ba%ba%ef%bc%8c%e4%bd%86%e4%b8%8d%e6%98%af%e5%a4%96%e4%ba%ba-foreigner-but-not-outsider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/en\/%e5%a4%96%e5%9b%bd%e4%ba%ba%ef%bc%8c%e4%bd%86%e4%b8%8d%e6%98%af%e5%a4%96%e4%ba%ba-foreigner-but-not-outsider\/","title":{"rendered":"\u5916\u56fd\u4eba\uff0c\u4f46\u4e0d\u662f\u5916\u4eba – Foreigner, But Not Outsider"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some time ago, a Westerner introduced himself to me as a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n. I thought, oh, he means \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n, and corrected him. It’s normal for foreigners to make mistakes, and in this case, given that the two expressions are so similar, it shouldn’t be any cause for surprise. But at the time I was actually slightly taken aback.<\/p>\n

Before I explain why, let’s break down the two expressions. They are actually made up of only three characters.
\n1. \u5916 w\u00e0i – external, outside
\n2. \u56fd gu\u00f3 – country
\n3. \u4eba r\u00e9n – person<\/p>\n

By saying that he was a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n, what he meant was that he was a foreigner. And I pointed out that he should have used \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n, which is the common term we use. What he used – \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n – was just missing the middle component \u56fd gu\u00f3. So what’s the big deal? Is \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n an existing expression? Did he use it correctly or incorrectly?<\/p>\n

\"waiguorenwairen\"<\/a><\/p>\n

To be sure, I looked up the dictionary, and lo and behold, indeed, the third definition for \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n is \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n. Here are the three definitions:
\n1. \u548c\u81ea\u5df1\u6ca1\u6709\u4eb2\u5bc6\u5173\u7cfb\u7684\u4eba (people with whom one has no close relations)
\n2. \u6307\u672c\u5355\u4f4d\u6216\u672c\u7ec4\u7ec7\u610f\u5916\u7684\u4eba (people outside one’s organization)
\n3. \u5916\u56fd\u4eba (foreigner)
\n\uff08\u300a\u73b0\u4ee3\u6c49\u8bed\u8bcd\u5178\u300b\uff09<\/p>\n

Hmm, okay, so the two terms are interchangeable. At least according to the dictionary.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if it was simply an error in processing new words when he used the term, or if he also knew Japanese and therefore it caused some confusion (\u5916\u4eba gaijin in Japanese does mean foreigner – if you know Japanese, check out this version<\/a>, where I explain my encounter with the Japanese term), or if he did know that the dictionary states that \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n = \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n. But I do hope he would introduce himself using the longer version \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n, instead of \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n .<\/p>\n

And here’s the reason. To Chinese ears, the term \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n usually is used to mean the first two definitions. So the implication is that a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n is an outsider, someone who is not ‘one of us’, someone not to be involved in what we ‘insiders’ do, or worse, someone not to be trusted. While it is not a negative term per se, it is not a term you would normally want to be labeled with. Imagine yourself still a young kid, and you see a group of kids playing, all of them holding hands with one another, forming a circle. You want to join in the fun, and you move towards them. Unfortunately some of them start making noise, and the leader of the group pushes you away. Alright, this is perhaps a little dramatic, but it should illustrate how someone would feel if he is labeled a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at some examples.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Zh\u00e8 sh\u01d0 w\u01d2men ji\u0101sh\u00ec, n\u01d0 z\u011bnme n\u00e9ng g\u0113n w\u00e0ir\u00e9n shu\u014d ne?
\n\u8fd9\u662f\u6211\u4eec\u5bb6\u4e8b\uff0c\u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u80fd\u8ddf\u5916\u4eba\u8bf4\u5462\uff1f<\/span>
\nThis is a family affair. How could you tell outsiders?<\/em><\/p>\n

T\u0101 b\u00fa sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n, y\u01d2u hu\u00e0 k\u011by\u01d0 d\u0101ngzhe t\u0101 de mi\u00e0n shu\u014d.
\n\u4ed6\u4e0d\u662f\u5916\u4eba\uff0c\u6709\u8bdd\u53ef\u4ee5\u5f53\u7740\u4ed6\u7684\u9762\u8bf4\u3002<\/span>
\nHe’s one of us, there’s no need to hide anything from him (we can say anything in front of him).<\/em><\/p>\n

Z\u011bnme zh\u00e8me k\u00e8qi, n\u01d0 d\u0101ng w\u01d2 sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n ma?
\n\u600e\u4e48\u8fd9\u4e48\u5ba2\u6c14\uff0c\u4f60\u5f53\u6211\u662f\u5916\u4eba\u5417\uff1f<\/span>
\nWhy are you so polite? Do you take me for an outsider?<\/em><\/p>\n

G\u0113n t\u0101men z\u00e0i y\u00ecq\u01d0, z\u01d2ng ju\u00e9de z\u00ecj\u01d0 sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.
\n\u8ddf\u4ed6\u4eec\u5728\u4e00\u8d77\uff0c\u603b\u89c9\u5f97\u81ea\u5df1\u662f\u5916\u4eba\u3002<\/span>
\nI always feel that I’m an outsider when I’m with them.<\/em><\/p>\n

It does not necessarily have a negative connotation though.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Say, if you are not part of a company, naturally you are not supposed to get involved in the decision making process. Fair and square, no sour feelings.<\/p>\n

N\u01d0men g\u014dngs\u012b de sh\u00ecqing, w\u01d2 zh\u00e8 ge w\u00e0ir\u00e9n b\u00f9 y\u012bngg\u0101i g\u0101nsh\u00e8.
\n\u4f60\u4eec\u516c\u53f8\u7684\u4e8b\u60c5\uff0c\u6211\u8fd9\u4e2a\u5916\u4eba\u4e0d\u5e94\u8be5\u5e72\u6d89\u3002<\/span>
\nI’m not part of your company so I shouldn’t be involved in your business matters.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some more examples:<\/p>\n

S\u012br\u00e9n zh\u00f9zh\u00e1i, w\u00e0ir\u00e9n b\u00f9d\u00e9 r\u00f9 n\u00e8i.
\n\u79c1\u4eba\u4f4f\u5b85\uff0c\u5916\u4eba\u4e0d\u5f97\u5165\u5185\u3002<\/span>
\nPrivate property. Outsiders not allowed.<\/em><\/p>\n

T\u0101men j\u01d0 ge z\u01d2ngshi x\u012bx\u012bh\u0101h\u0101, z\u00e0i w\u00e0ir\u00e9n k\u00e0nlai, sh\u00ec du\u014dme ku\u00e0il\u00e8 h\u00e9xi\u00e9 de y\u00ed ge tu\u00e1ndu\u00ec.
\n\u4ed6\u4eec\u51e0\u4e2a\u603b\u662f\u563b\u563b\u54c8\u54c8\uff0c\u5728\u5916\u4eba\u770b\u6765\uff0c\u662f\u591a\u4e48\u5feb\u4e50\u548c\u8c10\u7684\u4e00\u4e2a\u56e2\u961f\u3002<\/span>
\nThey are always laughing away merrily. To outsiders, they seem like a totally happy and harmonious group.<\/em><\/p>\n

T\u0101men f\u016bq\u012b zh\u012bji\u0101n de sh\u00ec, l\u00fanbud\u00e0o w\u01d2men w\u00e0ir\u00e9n ch\u0101sh\u01d2u.
\n\u4ed6\u4eec\u592b\u59bb\u4e4b\u95f4\u7684\u4e8b\uff0c\u8f6e\u4e0d\u5230\u6211\u4eec\u5916\u4eba\u63d2\u624b\u3002<\/span>
\nWe’re outsiders, so we can’t meddle with their affairs. (Affairs between them as a couple – it’s not up to us outsiders to do anything.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Granted, a foreigner is from outside (of one’s country), and so naturally is an outsider. <\/span><\/h3>\n

And indeed, in certain cases, it’s obvious we could use both \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n and \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n. For example,<\/p>\n

W\u01d2men gu\u00f3ji\u0101 de sh\u00ec, w\u00e0ir\u00e9n (w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n) y\u00f2u z\u011bnme n\u00e9ng l\u01d0ji\u011b ne?
\n\u6211\u4eec\u56fd\u5bb6\u7684\u4e8b\uff0c\u5916\u4eba\uff08\u5916\u56fd\u4eba\uff09\u53c8\u600e\u4e48\u80fd\u7406\u89e3\u5462\uff1f<\/span>
\nHow would foreigners be able to understand affairs of our country?<\/em><\/p>\n

Nonetheless, we won’t usually tell someone point-blank that he is \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n. Neither have I heard of anyone introducing himself, or other people, as \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.<\/p>\n

Here’s a made-up scenario.<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are three characters – \u5c0f\u9ec4 Xi\u01ceo Hu\u00e1ng, \u5c0f\u6797 Xi\u01ceo L\u00edn and John.<\/p>\n

Xi\u01ceo Hu\u00e1ng: Xi\u01ceo L\u00edn, zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec w\u01d2 p\u00e9ngyou, t\u0101 ji\u00e0o John. T\u0101 sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.
\n\u5c0f\u9ec4\uff1a\u5c0f\u6797\uff0c\u8fd9\u662f\u6211\u670b\u53cb\uff0c\u4ed6\u53ebJohn\u3002\u4ed6\u662f\u5916\u4eba\u3002<\/span>
\nXi\u01ceo L\u00edn, this is my friend. His name is John, he is a w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.<\/em><\/p>\n

Xi\u01ceo L\u00edn: \u00c1?
\n\u5c0f\u6797\uff1a\u554a\uff1f\uff1f<\/span>
\nHuh?<\/em><\/p>\n

Here, \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n would be interpreted as ‘outsider’. Probably\u00a0\u5c0f\u6797 Xi\u01ceo L\u00edn hasn’t been paying attention and \u5c0f\u9ec4 Xi\u01ceo Hu\u00e1ng simply wants to wake him up.<\/p>\n

I guess there’s one possibility why someone would be more than glad to be a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n – when there are sticky issues and you’re more than happy to be excluded from all the mess.<\/p>\n

W\u01d2 sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n, n\u01d0men de sh\u00ecqing w\u01d2 ji\u00f9 b\u00f9 g\u0101nsh\u00e8 le.
\n\u6211\u662f\u5916\u4eba\uff0c\u4f60\u4eec\u7684\u4e8b\u60c5\u6211\u5c31\u4e0d\u5e72\u6d89\u4e86\u3002\uff08\u522b\u6765\u70e6\u6211\uff0c\u62dc\u62dc~\uff09<\/span>
\nI’m an outsider, so I shan’t poke my nose into your personal affairs. (Good bye and don’t bother me.)<\/em><\/p>\n

By the way, the opposite of \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n is \u81ea\u5df1\u4eba z\u00ecj\u01d0r\u00e9n. So we could say:<\/p>\n

Zh\u00e8li m\u00e9i y\u01d2u w\u00e0ir\u00e9n, d\u00e0ji\u0101 d\u014du sh\u00ec z\u00ecj\u01d0r\u00e9n, y\u01d2u hu\u00e0 zh\u00ed shu\u014d.
\n\u8fd9\u91cc\u6ca1\u6709\u5916\u4eba\uff0c\u5927\u5bb6\u90fd\u662f\u81ea\u5df1\u4eba\uff0c\u6709\u8bdd\u76f4\u8bf4\u3002<\/span>
\nThere’s no outsider here, we’re all family. Feel free to say what you want.<\/em><\/p>\n

To end off, I’d like to use this line that has been used to describe \u5927\u5c71 D\u00e0sh\u0101n, the famous Canadian who speaks flawless Mandarin, to illustrate my point.<\/p>\n

T\u0101 sh\u00ec w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n, d\u00e0n b\u00fa sh\u00ec w\u00e0ir\u00e9n.
\n\u4ed6\u662f\u5916\u56fd\u4eba\uff0c\u4f46\u4e0d\u662f\u5916\u4eba\u3002<\/span>
\nHe is a foreigner, but not an outsider.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you are a foreigner and a Chinese friend says this of you, then this is certainly one huge compliment! And if you don’t know Dashan yet, here’s one of his \u76f8\u58f0 xi\u00e0ngsheng (cross talk). Oh well, it sure is hard to think of someone who speaks such fluent Mandarin as a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n!<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iailMSUVenA<\/a>\n

<\/div>\nIf you’ve enjoyed this, don’t forget to hit one of the sharing buttons below, and do join me on<\/span> Google+<\/span><\/a>\/ Facebook<\/span><\/a>\/\u00a0YouTube<\/span><\/a>\/\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\/ Pinterest<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some time ago, a Westerner introduced himself to me as a \u5916\u4eba w\u00e0ir\u00e9n. I thought, oh, he means \u5916\u56fd\u4eba w\u00e0igu\u00f3r\u00e9n, and corrected him. It’s normal for foreigners to make mistakes, and in this case, given that the...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[293,82,96],"tags":[225],"class_list":["post-7469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-mandarin","category-musings","tag-common-mistakes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t