One of my students, Malta has angrily asked me, "teacher, why do Chinese people to call us > > foreigner, I don't like this call in particular, it is exclusive,". Heard him say so, startled, because I never think of the word "foreigner" for them is a no respect for the word.
Later, I was in school I asked Germany, the United States and Russia and other countries of the students for what the word "foreigner", almost all feel not polite, that sounds uncomfortable. He prefers "foreigners", by contrast, such a neutral expression. Then I taught them a new term "> > slanting nuts", they said this sounds very love call is acceptable.
In fact, in recent years, the word foreigner became the people like to use the high frequency words, some departments also not afraid, even the newspaper TV once a title with the word. Through investigation, many Chinese think this term with a witty banter, not praise or blame meaning. Where they know that people are called "laowai" psychological reaction is so strong, a lot of foreigners feel "since in other countries, the last of the".
Many foreigners, found that the "laowai" is limited to the working-class communities, but this is not the case. In China, people at random and loudly say the word "foreigner" seems to be very common. But we want to change the Angle, oneself walk on the road in the alien land, also was pointing to say "laowai", how would you feel?
So, "laowai" is a word across nationality, said before you have to pay attention to the future occasion!
On a story: in 2017, the Confucius institute headquarters/national office sent abroad for teachers recruitment brochure (spring)