# When Someone Identifies as "Asian" What Does This Mean To You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608 "2009-07-28T22:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/1 "2009-07-28T22:46:22Z")
I was talking to someone who is from India and he has a profile in a dating site that he identifies himself as “Asian.” He keeps having issues with people thinking he is Chinese or Japanese. I tried to explain, that while he is technically correct in his thinking, when someone says “Asian,” most Americans would think of Chinese, or Japanese or Korean not someone form India or Pakistan. As I said I fully agree that he is Asian, but if he wants to put an end to this, I suggested he remove the term “Asian” from the dating profile and replace it with something like “From India” (it’s free form) But my question for you, is when someone uses the term “Asian” what comes to mind to you? What would you think of straight off? For me I would think of Japanese, Chinese or Korean, even though I well know most of the Mid-East, Pakistan, Indonesia and even Cypus are all in Asia and there for people are technically Asian. So what first comes to mind to you, if someone were to say “He/She is Asian”? ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/2 "2009-07-28T23:08:07Z")
Depends on who is saying it. If it’s an American, he’s probably what we used to be allowed to call Oriental. If it’s a Brit, he’s probably Pakistani or Bangladeshi or something like that. I’ve never heard a native of Asia refer to himself as “Asian”. It’s always “Chinese” or “Korean” or what have you. The demise of “Oriental” is a bit of silliness that deserves (and has probably gotten) its own thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Theo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/3 "2009-07-28T23:16:26Z")
In the UK it generally means from the subcontinent, even if that doesn’t actually tell you very much… An easy way to get around is just say South Asian for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and East Asian for the ‘Oriental Countries’. Of course if the box is labelled ethnicity he could always be specific, Punjabi, Gujarati etc. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/4 "2009-07-28T23:36:42Z")
As mentioned, Asian normally means south Asian to the British. To avoid the ambiguity and to avoid saying “Oriental”, they may also say that someone is “from the Far East”. I don’t hear this phrase very often from Americans, who will normally just say someone is Asian. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/5 "2009-07-29T00:10:50Z")
My first thought is exactly what you posted, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. (I’m an east coast American, btw, if that factors into your poll) ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/6 "2009-07-29T00:25:28Z")
To me, Asian means people [like this](http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1613/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1613R-5266.jpg). People with curly hair and dark skin, I mostly think of as [country-of-origin]. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/7 "2009-07-29T00:29:30Z")
I’d think Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean. People in Australia who are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka don’t usually say they’re Asian. That said, nor do people from China, Vietnam etc. The all purpose ‘Asian’ description is usually said by non-Asians who are unsure where a person is originally from. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/8 "2009-07-29T00:39:25Z")
I’d assume that if someone called themself “Asian” they were Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, or Korean. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/9 "2009-07-29T00:50:03Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I’d assume that if someone called themself “Asian” they were Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, or Korean. The same for me. I expect this is what the potential dates usually think of too. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/10 "2009-07-29T00:52:35Z")
Spent enough time in North America and the UK to immediately consider context before assuming Indian/Pakistani or similar versus Japanese/Chinese or similar. You’re right that, if he’s in the US, I think the majority of people would assume he’s ‘Oriental.’ ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/11 "2009-07-29T01:18:48Z")
> [@Sri\_Theo](#): > > In the UK it generally means from the subcontinent, even if that doesn’t actually tell you very much… An easy way to get around is just say South Asian for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and East Asian for the ‘Oriental Countries’. > > Of course if the box is labelled ethnicity he could always be specific, Punjabi, Gujarati etc. Ah I never knew this, thanks for the education. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/12 "2009-07-29T01:45:04Z")
As above. Asian as “from India or surrounding areas” is a Britishism. Americans use it to mean “from China and surrounding areas.” Specifically, Americans use it to mean “those of Asian decent” - you could be forth generation American with significant Chinese ancestry, and you’d be “Asian.” The term “Asian American” to refer to Americans of Asian decent is not widely used. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/13 "2009-07-29T02:29:09Z")
So the simple solution is to just put Indian! [No more confusion, right?](http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmterms.html) ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/14 "2009-07-29T03:36:06Z")
What was wrong with “oriental,” anyway? The term “Asian” could mean anything: white Russian, Arab, Persian, Indian, Chinese, or something else. It really conveys no ethnic information except that a person probably isn’t black. ---
**Author:** ![Baby\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@Baby\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baby_Driver)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/15 "2009-07-29T03:37:16Z")
**Markxxx** , just so you know I’m American-born Chinese and I do describe myself as “Asian”. The term is a bit too broad for my liking, but I sort of prefer more ambiguity to less. I don’t identify all that much with being Chinese, and the questions people ask (“Ever been to China?” “Where in China are your parents from?” “Do you speak Mandarin or Canto?” “Do you like Chinese food?”)area bit tiresome. ---
**Author:** ![SomeBodyUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SomeBodyUK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBodyUK)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/16 "2009-07-29T09:12:36Z")
I’m a British born Indian who lives in the US. In UK I’m Asian, In the US I’m not - I came to a compromise with my Oriental friends, they call themselves East Asian and I call myself South Asian. “Oriental” is considered offensive in as much as it refers to objects and not people. I still use it in the US, if anybody gets pissed off I explain that i’m British and it’s not considered offensive there. Actually as far as i know “Oriental” is only offensive in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/17 "2009-07-29T10:01:59Z")
As my American cousin pointed out, “It’s oriental for rugs and vases, asian for people”. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/18 "2009-07-29T10:26:03Z")
I’m Asian. Specifically, I live in South East Asia, am of Chinese decent, and think of myself as “Asian”. Funny thing is, I don’t even think of Indians as “Asian”, I think of them as, well, Indian. Or Pakistani, or Bangladeshi. If I had to have a collective term for them, I’d call them Indians. As for American Indians, well, I’d call them Red Indians. I’m not sure if that’s offensive (I half suspect it kind of is?) but that’s how I was taught. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/19 "2009-07-29T11:21:40Z")
Australian here. I managed to live 19 years without even realising it was _possible_ to refer to Indian/Pakistani/etc as “Asian”. Then I moved to the UK… I could never get used to it, though. For me, “Asian” will always be Southeast Asian/Chinese/Japanese. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608/20 "2009-07-29T11:34:25Z")
British here, where we think in precisely the opposite way from the OP. Here ‘Asian’ would mean someone from the Indian Subcontinent. Someone from Japan, Korea, China etc would traditionally have been called ‘Oriental’, but would nowadays be referred to as being ‘from the Far East’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-someone-identifies-as-asian-what-does-this-mean-to-you/504608.md?page=2)