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Do you take 老外 as a pejorative?

I heard many International people in China use 老外 to call themselves (自称老外), and them seems fine with this word. But I also know some people, especially newly Chinese learners(初学者) who think that it is a pejorative and is a bit derogatory.

The word origins around the Opium War, when people call people with blue eyes and fair hair color 老外， for Chinese are extremely exclusive（排外的）at that time.

However, I think nowadays Chinese use it as a nickname for people out of China without any derogatory at all. It is more like a really friendly word.

Do you feel offensive when you are called 老外? Do I need to delete the word from my vocabulary?

(Please correct my mistakes in this essay if you have time. Thank you!)

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Posted by Emily Mar 14, 2013
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I don't mind it really.

Rosco

Mar 14, 2013

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其实现在很多都不介意的，有的还觉得这个称呼很有趣

lynne

Mar 14, 2013

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I don't see why "老外" should offend me, but it doesn't amuse me either (not yet anyway). I like "外星人" and anything ending in "鬼".

Harry

Mar 14, 2013

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As it seems to me, 老外 sounds kindly, like "old man", "old chap" etc.

Olga

Mar 14, 2013

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@Harry 死鬼 is also a sweet phrase!

Emily

Mar 14, 2013

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@Ogla Nooooo. We call any foreign friends 老外 even if he/she is 10 years old. We may call him/she 小老外！ lol

Emily

Mar 14, 2013

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I don`t really care. I`ve worked with Spanish, American, and Japanese people - none of those could actually spell my name, but does it make the difference? :) It`s all about what people think, not about how it does or can sound. That is why I wonder - what is the reason for you guys to take foreign names instead of using your own?

Andriy Urbanovich