<p>In my opinion, 非中国人 sounds more exclusive. <strong>非</strong> stresses '<strong>are not</strong>' (they are not Chinese)</p>
<p>外国人 sounds more neutral. <strong>外国</strong> indicates '<strong>where</strong> ones came from ( they are from outside of this country)'</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>非</strong>我族类(其心也异) is not a friendly phrase</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>外</strong>賓 is a welcoming term</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>To me, 非中国人 (non-Chinese) VS. 外国人 (foreigner) is like 非会员 (non-member) VS. 访客 (visitor/ guest)</p>
<p>老外 is an informal nickname for 外国人. Sounds casual and friendly.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T02:45:06.113Z
+1 for giving the example of 非我族类. I'm a native mainlander, 非中国人 gives me a sense of a nationalist undertone as it emphasises the 'NOT' part. To me, '住在北京的非中国人越来越多' gives a similar vibe to a statement like 'There is an increasing non-local population in the neighbourhood'
Scharlach Nachtfalter
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T03:50:57.710Z
Quote:- "In my opinion, 非中国人 sounds more exclusive", and also with a subtle undertone of "us and them"?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T04:07:04.517Z
@Wayne Cheah Yes." 中国人,  非中国人"  does carry a subtle undertone of "us and them"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T02:01:05.037Z
2020-07-27T07:57:33.853Z
2020-07-27T07:57:33.853Z
Tang Ho
<p>As a Chinese, I feel that this person ( who make this term:非中国人） is not Chinese.</p>
<p>外宾： very friendly.</p>
<p>老外： friendly</p>
<p>外国人： (中性词) not good, not bad.</p>
<p>非中国人： No Chinese would say like this.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T10:05:13.780Z
"洋人" is another way to call the foreigners, especially Western people. It's often not friendly, especially in "洋鬼子". It means the person who says it out think that foreigner is aggressor.
T-Pioneer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T10:31:56.873Z
the term 洋人 mostly refers to the westerners
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T22:19:52.920Z
the term 洋人 is dead, it's spoken by people 100 years ago.
Siwei
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-28T11:01:45.983Z
it is alive and well on TV. and movies
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T07:13:23.303Z
2020-07-27T07:53:26.697Z
2020-07-27T07:53:26.697Z
Siwei
<p>I've never heard of the term <code>非中国人</code> before. It sounds very unnatural.</p>
<p>It is syntactically and semantically correct, though. We just don't say that.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-30T15:30:30.567Z
2020-07-30T15:30:30.567Z
Chen Ni
<p>In my opinion, 非中国人 is the same as 外国人.</p>
<p>非 is a very formal word for negative without any motion behinds.</p>
<p>So if you want to rationally argue in some topics, it's safe to use both 非中国人 and 外国人.</p>
<hr />
<p>On the opposite, 不 is much more oral, it can be very motional.</p>
<p>Like 不是中国人 can means both neutral and negative: &quot;You are not qualified to be a Chinese (shame on you)&quot;. This is more complicate and you have to judge with the contents or tone.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-30T01:19:13.237Z
2020-07-30T01:19:13.237Z
元卅 Yuán Sà
<p>I have found myself using the word 非中国人 to express what Chinese people would call 外国人 or 老外.</p>
<p>How do Chinese people feel about this word ?</p>
<p>Just to confirm I am using it with Chinese people.</p>
<p>Here are some examples of 非中国人 in place of 外国人 just to give you a feel for it in use.</p>
<p>住在北京的非中国人越来越多</p>
<p>会说中文的非中国人不是很少</p>
<p>你有非中国的朋友吗 ？</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T00:53:12.100Z
Could you put it in a sentence? Or add a context?
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T00:56:56.677Z
@dan Sure, every sentence that has the word 外国人 in it just put 非中国人 in it's place :) 非中国人对中国人有些刻板印象
Kantura
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T01:06:59.863Z
Those sentences are bit odd but grammatical. The oddity leads to a bit racism or segregation. It seems that you deliberately make it odd to isolate Chinese from non-Chinese. But that's probably just me.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T01:14:32.707Z
@dan I'm curious how Chinese people feel about it. Do you mind if I ask are you Chinese ?
Kantura
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T01:31:02.633Z
"are you Chinese" is English, which sounds a question about English.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T01:49:50.053Z
@dan 我不太明白你的意思。英文问题 ？我想知道中国人对那个词有什么感觉 ？如果你不是中国人那你的回答没有意义，我想知道你是不是中国人，如果你不想告诉我也行，我是随便问而已 :)
Kantura
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T02:11:01.977Z
Oh，you asked me literally "are you Chinese".  Yes, I'm.  I thought you meant that how I take the question "are you Chinese" as a Chinese speaker.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T02:13:36.777Z
@Kantura I think you need to detail a bit whether or not you say 非中國人 to Chinese/non-Chinese as a Chinese/non-Chinese. As many pointed out, telling 非中國人 to Chinese give an exclusion feeling and it's better to say 外國人.
Firmin Martin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T10:38:34.067Z
I feel this term is neutral and has a technical feel to it. Actually I personally quite like this term, but perhaps that's because I'm a nerd. :)
Betty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T10:55:36.363Z
@Betty Thanks Betty , btw are you Chinese ?
Kantura
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-28T09:26:34.823Z
@Kantura Yes I am.
Betty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-30T21:14:59.207Z
For a point of reference, consider how terms like "people of color" are usually preferred to "non-white people". Saying "non-white" is not only exclusionary but also implies that white is default and non-white deviates from that default.
Lionel Rowe
<meaning><culture>
How do Chinese people feel about the term 非中国人 to express non-Chinese people?
# How do Chinese people feel about the term 非中国人 to express non-Chinese people?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-27)

I have found myself using the word 非中国人 to express what Chinese people would call 外国人 or 老外.

How do Chinese people feel about this word ?

Just to confirm I am using it with Chinese people.

Here are some examples of 非中国人 in place of 外国人 just to give you a feel for it in use.

住在北京的非中国人越来越多

会说中文的非中国人不是很少

你有非中国的朋友吗 ？

**Tags:** meaning, culture

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Could you put it in a sentence? Or add a context?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Sure, every sentence that has the word 外国人 in it just put 非中国人 in it's place :) 非中国人对中国人有些刻板印象  
> **username_1**: Those sentences are bit odd but grammatical. The oddity leads to a bit racism or segregation. It seems that you deliberately make it odd to isolate Chinese from non-Chinese. But that's probably just me.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I'm curious how Chinese people feel about it. Do you mind if I ask are you Chinese ?  
> **username_1**: "are you Chinese" is English, which sounds a question about English.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 我不太明白你的意思。英文问题 ？我想知道中国人对那个词有什么感觉 ？如果你不是中国人那你的回答没有意义，我想知道你是不是中国人，如果你不想告诉我也行，我是随便问而已 :)  
> **username_1**: Oh，you asked me literally "are you Chinese".  Yes, I'm.  I thought you meant that how I take the question "are you Chinese" as a Chinese speaker.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 I think you need to detail a bit whether or not you say 非中國人 to Chinese/non-Chinese as a Chinese/non-Chinese. As many pointed out, telling 非中國人 to Chinese give an exclusion feeling and it's better to say 外國人.  
> **username_3**: I feel this term is neutral and has a technical feel to it. Actually I personally quite like this term, but perhaps that's because I'm a nerd. :)  
> **username_0**: @username_3 Thanks username_3 , btw are you Chinese ?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 Yes I am.  
> **username_4**: For a point of reference, consider how terms like "people of color" are usually preferred to "non-white people". Saying "non-white" is not only exclusionary but also implies that white is default and non-white deviates from that default.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-07-27. Score: 6

In my opinion, 非中国人 sounds more exclusive. **非** stresses '**are not**' (they are not Chinese)

外国人 sounds more neutral. **外国** indicates '**where** ones came from ( they are from outside of this country)'

* **非**我族类(其心也异) is not a friendly phrase
* **外**賓 is a welcoming term

To me, 非中国人 (non-Chinese) VS. 外国人 (foreigner) is like 非会员 (non-member) VS. 访客 (visitor/ guest)

老外 is an informal nickname for 外国人. Sounds casual and friendly.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: +1 for giving the example of 非我族类. I'm a native mainlander, 非中国人 gives me a sense of a nationalist undertone as it emphasises the 'NOT' part. To me, '住在北京的非中国人越来越多' gives a similar vibe to a statement like 'There is an increasing non-local population in the neighbourhood'  
> **username_7**: Quote:- "In my opinion, 非中国人 sounds more exclusive", and also with a subtle undertone of "us and them"?  
> **username_5**: @username_7 Yes." 中国人,  非中国人"  does carry a subtle undertone of "us and them"  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2020-07-27. Score: 3

As a Chinese, I feel that this person ( who make this term:非中国人） is not Chinese.

外宾： very friendly.

老外： friendly

外国人： (中性词) not good, not bad.

非中国人： No Chinese would say like this.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: "洋人" is another way to call the foreigners, especially Western people. It's often not friendly, especially in "洋鬼子". It means the person who says it out think that foreigner is aggressor.  
> **username_5**: the term 洋人 mostly refers to the westerners  
> **username_8**: the term 洋人 is dead, it's spoken by people 100 years ago.  
> **username_5**: it is alive and well on TV. and movies  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2020-07-30. Score: 1

I've never heard of the term `非中国人` before. It sounds very unnatural.

It is syntactically and semantically correct, though. We just don't say that.


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2020-07-30. Score: 0

In my opinion, 非中国人 is the same as 外国人.

非 is a very formal word for negative without any motion behinds.

So if you want to rationally argue in some topics, it's safe to use both 非中国人 and 外国人.

---

On the opposite, 不 is much more oral, it can be very motional.

Like 不是中国人 can means both neutral and negative: "You are not qualified to be a Chinese (shame on you)". This is more complicate and you have to judge with the contents or tone.


---

