Gaijin and Gaikokujin: The Japanese Words for Foreigner (外人, 外国人)

Gaijin meaning: 外人 (gaijin)

Gaijin is 外人 (がいじん, gaijin), a short word for "foreigner", literally "outside person". Whether it is offensive depends on who says it and how: some hear neutral shorthand, others feel it marks them as outsiders.

It is written with 外 (outside) and 人 (person). The dictionary also lists an archaic sense, "outsider", and tags the word as sensitive. Its neutral, formal partner is 外国人 (がいこくじん, gaikokujin, “foreigner”), "person from a foreign country".

Gaijin vs gaikokujin

外国人 covers every non-Japanese national. In practice 外人 usually points to Westerners: the Digital Daijisen says "especially Westerners", and JMdict says "esp. one of European ancestry". Wikipedia adds that both words are often used for non-East Asians. It also reports that the scholar Nanette Gottlieb wrote in 2005 that most Japanese broadcasters listed 外人 among the terms to avoid.

Why is it called gaijin?

It is an old word. It is found in writing as early as the Heike Monogatari, a 13th-century text, meaning an outsider. The Nihon Kokugo Daijiten lists "outsider" first and "foreigner" second.

After Japan opened to the West, Westerners were often called 異人. The Meiji government (1868 to 1912) helped spread 外国人, which took over. Today some people explain 外人 as short for 外国人, though its older meaning is why others hear "outsider" in it.

Is gaijin offensive?

This is separate from words that are plain insults, such as 毛唐 (けとう, ketō), which the dictionary lists as derogatory.

Why some people find it rude

• The kanji say "outside person", and the word is used for some foreigners more than others. Wikipedia quotes Gottlieb that it is "the connotation of exclusion and oddity that irks".
• The Digital Daijisen dictionary says the word has taken on an "outsider" nuance (よそ者), so care is needed about who you use it to and when.
• Tofugu quotes residents who say it makes them feel they will never belong, and that it lumps tourists, immigrants and citizens together.

Why others hear it as neutral

• One GaijinPot writer says most Japanese people use it as a convenient way to refer to someone who isn't Japanese, without meaning harm.
• A long-term resident quoted by Tofugu says nearly all everyday uses are fine, and trouble comes from the few with malice.

What to say instead

In Japanese, 外国人 is the safe choice and 外国の方 is the polite one. One of Tofugu's contributors prefers both because they sound more polite and less like "outsider". For one person, name their nationality: アメリカ人 (アメリカじん, amerikajin, “American (person)”).

Foreign residents disagree about calling themselves gaijin: one Tofugu contributor says expats often do so in jest, and another says she doesn't think the word can be reclaimed.

Questions about gaijin

What does gaijin mean in slang?

In casual speech, gaijin means "foreigner", usually a Westerner. JMdict tags it as sensitive and lists "whitey" among its glosses.

What does "I suki you" mean?

"I suki you" is a mix of English and Japanese that means "I like you": 好き (すき, suki, “liking”) has the English "I" and "you" around it. It is unrelated to gaijin.

What is the 5 minute rule in Japan?

The 5 minute rule in Japan is the habit of being ready five minutes early, called 五分前行動 (ごふんまえこうどう, gofun mae kōdō). It is unrelated to gaijin.

Is it okay for foreigners to use gaijin?

Foreigners disagree about calling themselves gaijin, and 外国人 is the safer word.

Is foreigner a slur?

No, "foreigner" is an ordinary word, and 外国人 is its neutral Japanese equivalent.

How do Japanese feel about gaijin?

Japanese people have no single feeling about the word gaijin. One GaijinPot writer says most use it as neutral shorthand, a 2005 study says broadcasters avoided it, and the Digital Daijisen advises care.

What do Japanese call Americans?

The standard word is アメリカ人 (amerikajin), and 米国人 (べいこくじん, beikokujin) is the more formal one.

Are Japanese Americans considered gaijin?

A Japanese American can be called gaijin in Japan: by nationality, a US citizen of Japanese descent is a foreigner there, and 日系人 (にっけいじん, nikkeijin, “non-Japanese of Japanese descent”) describes them. Wikipedia says 外人 can be applied to nikkei who lack Japanese citizenship.

Is there discrimination against foreigners in Japan?

Yes, a Ministry of Justice survey found it. In answers collected in late 2016, nearly 40 per cent of the foreign residents who had looked for housing said they were refused because they were foreign, and almost a quarter of those who had looked for work said the same about a job. About 23 per cent of those contacted replied. That year Japan also passed a law declaring unfair discriminatory speech against people from outside Japan not allowed. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-01.

Do gaijin support Russia?

The question can't be answered, because 外人 covers everyone who isn't Japanese, and no source suggests they share a view.

Why is gaijin called gaijin?

It is 外 (outside) plus 人 (person): an old word for an outsider that came to mean a foreigner.

Sources

• Readings and meanings: JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), including its tags for 外人 (sensitive, archaic "outsider") and 毛唐 (derogatory).
• Meaning, history and the 2005 broadcaster claim: English Wikipedia, Gaijin; Japanese Wikipedia, 外人.
• Dictionary entries: Kotobank, 外人 (Digital Daijisen and Nihon Kokugo Daijiten).
• Views on both sides: Tofugu, Gaijin (2013); GaijinPot, What Does Gaijin Really Mean? (2014).
• Survey results (self-reported, fieldwork late 2016): Toyo Keizai, Foreigners in Japan face significant levels of discrimination, survey shows. The 2016 law: Ministry of Justice, Hate speech. Facts on this page last checked on 2026-10-01.
• Reviewed independently; the points about how gaijin is received, 外国の方, 米国人 and nikkei are waiting for a native speaker's check.