Laowai
/ˌlaʊˈwaɪ/noun
A colloquial English loanword from Mandarin Chinese meaning a foreigner, especially a non-Chinese person in China.
Did you know?The characters 老外 literally resemble “old outsider,” but scholars generally treat that breakdown cautiously because the expression’s exact historical origin is uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
外 (*ŋˤak-s)
“Outside, external, or foreign; the ancient root of Mandarin wài.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
外 (ngwajH)
“Outside or beyond; a descendant of the Old Chinese form.”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
外 (wài)
“Outside, external, or foreign.”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
老外 (lǎowài)
“Colloquial term for a foreigner; the literal character combination is “old” plus “outside,” though its exact origin is debated.”
20th Century
English
laowai
“An English borrowing used for a foreigner in China, particularly a Westerner.”
Modern English
English
laowai
“A colloquial noun for a non-Chinese foreigner, often used in discussions of life in China.”