Gwai-Lo
/ˈɡwaɪ loʊ/noun
A Cantonese-derived English term for a white person or Westerner, often regarded as informal or derogatory.
Did you know?The term comes from Cantonese 鬼佬, combining 鬼, “ghost,” with 佬, “man” or “fellow”; its tone can range from teasing to openly racist depending on context.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
鬼
“A ghost, spirit, or dead person’s apparition”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
鬼 (kujX)
“Ghost or spirit; the ancestor of Cantonese gwái”
Late Imperial Chinese
Cantonese
鬼佬 (gwái lóu)
“Literally “ghost man”; a label for a foreigner, especially a European or white person”
19th–20th Century
Cantonese English
gwai lo / gwailo
“A Cantonese loanword used in English-speaking communities to refer to a white Westerner”
Modern English
English
gwai-lo
“An informal term for a white person or Westerner, with potentially derogatory force”
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