Gweilo
/ˈɡweɪ.loʊ/noun
A Cantonese term, often derogatory or informal, for a foreigner, especially a white person.
Did you know?Gweilo comes from Cantonese 鬼佬, combining 鬼 gwái, “ghost,” with 佬 lóu, “man” or “fellow”; its tone can range from insulting to playful depending on context.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
鬼 *kˤujʔ
“Ghost or spirit”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
鬼 kjwɨjX
“Ghost, demon, or departed spirit”
Late Imperial Chinese
Cantonese
鬼 gwái
“Ghost; an insulting label for a foreigner in compounds”
19th Century
Cantonese
鬼佬 gwái lóu
“Literally “ghost man”; a foreign man, especially a European”
19th–20th Century
English
gwailo / gweilo
“An English rendering of Cantonese 鬼佬, used in Hong Kong English”
Modern English
English
gweilo
“A foreigner, particularly a white person; potentially offensive depending on use”