gaijin
UK[ˈɡaɪdʒɪn]US[ˈɡaɪdʒɪn]
n
A Japanese term for a foreigner or non-Japanese person.
Etymology
The word 'gaijin' is a direct borrowing from Japanese, where it functions as a contraction of the phrase 'gaikokujin' (外国人), meaning "outside-country-person." It entered English vocabulary in the mid-20th century, particularly through post-war cultural and economic exchanges, to specifically denote a foreigner in a Japanese context. While the original Japanese term can carry neutral or contextual nuances, its English usage often retains the outsider connotation, reflecting the word's literal composition. Its adoption exemplifies how languages import culturally specific terms to fill lexical gaps, preserving the foreign concept within a new linguistic setting.
Analysis
This is a Japanese loanword adopted into English. It is composed of two kanji (Japanese characters): 外 (gai, meaning "outside") and 人 (jin, meaning "person"). However, as a single, unanalyzed lexical unit in English, it is not segmented according to English morpheme rules.
Examples
As a long-term resident in Tokyo, he still sometimes felt like a gaijin.
The small town rarely saw any gaijin tourists.
The term 'gaijin' is considered by some to be less polite than 'gaikokujin'.