Guailo
/ˈɡwaɪ.loʊ/noun
A foreigner, especially a non-Chinese person, in Cantonese usage, often carrying an outdated or derogatory tone.
Did you know?The term reflects an old Cantonese contrast between local Chinese communities and pale-skinned outsiders, whom speakers associated metaphorically with ghosts or spirits.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
Cantonese
鬼佬 (gwái lóu)
“Literally “ghost man” or “ghost fellow”; a colloquial term for a foreigner.”
19th Century
English in Hong Kong
gwailo
“An English rendering of Cantonese gwái lóu, used for a Western foreigner.”
20th Century
English
gweilo
“A more common English spelling of the Cantonese loanword.”
Modern English
English
guailo
“A variant spelling of gwailo or gweilo, referring to a foreigner in Cantonese contexts.”