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Why Do Singaporeans Call White Guys Ang Mo?


Guest likes asian

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Guest likes asian

I have always been perplexed as to why many asian cultures have a derogatory word they use for whites? I visited asian countries many times (coming back to singapore in a couple of weeks) and as a tall white guy with light coloured hair and attractive features I have never found it hard to strike up a conversation or something else :-) But it seems in every asian culture there is love/hate relationship (especially in the gay world it seems) with white guys! and frankly I don't get why? I don't know how other white dudes have felt but its weird to be sought after while at the same time the object of scorn. Insights please?

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ang mo means "red hair" literally in the chinese dialect, its just a term coined by singaporeans dated back to british rule. i think it does not mean anything negatively, just used by early singaporeans.

hong kongers called the whites "guai lo" which means "ghost person", but with years gone by, i don't think it means negative as well.

i'm sure there are terms white people call asians or chinese as well...

:)

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Dear GWM,

I am (still) in favour of a white man but as they said, TO EACH HIS OWN.

Some prefer white man for his personality and hmm, endowment.

Those who are less adaptable, may find you intimidating.

I know many of my friends are "afraid" to converse with you because of the English proficiency.

So regardless of race, language or religion, there is always differences in preference,

Personally a white man is just another human being, not superior nor inferior than the other races.

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'ang moh' is not exactly exclusive to Singapore only.

Many Chinese Malaysians use that aside 'gwai lou' as well.

Malays call the whites 'mat saleh'.

Chinese call the Malays 'huan na' (means 'less civilized') and Indians keling-kia.

Malays call the Chinese 'mata sepet' (slit eyes) and Indians 'kaki botol' (drunkards).

The whites have in the past called the Chinese the 'sick men of Asia' (亚洲病夫).

Derogatory remarks and name-calling exist in every society.

Juz learn to be gracious and use the proper nouns so everyone can be comfortable. Period.

Edited by qedcwc

"You like who you like lah. Who cares if someone likes the other someone because of their race? It's when they hate them. That's the problem."

Orked (acted by Sharifah Amani) in SEPET (2004, directed by Yasmin Ahmad)

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You should be glad they call you just that because Ive got a whole lot more that I would use to call a white who isnt nice to me! And come on, whites do have a whole range of slang they use to describe asians too, no?

By the way, you've got yellow fever?

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In the past (we're talking about centuries ago), Chinese folks used to resent Westerners due to the exploitation of China by Western colonialists...same story for most other parts of Asia that have been colonized

But of course its a different story now. "Ang mo" and "guai lo" is really just a generic term to describe anyone that looks "white", it doesnt carry any derogatory meaning whatsoever

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Westerners View

I've been in Asia since 1997 and have never been offended by this term. Any time it has been used in my presence there was never an underlying tone of disrespect. Quite the contrary, I always interpreted it as friendship. I have always found Asians to be very respectful of "whites". I thank all Asians for making me feel so welcome in this part of the world.

As a foreigner I try my best to not let my "western values" and customs corrupt their values. I try to always view myself as an "ambassador" of my home country so I try to be polite and dignified in all my encounters. I'm from Canada.

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  • 3 years later...
8 minutes ago, Guest Steve said:

I have just been relocated here in singapore. Someone called me Ang Mo. I'm discreet gay to be honest but how come they know by calling me that name?

 

roflmao_zpse8d8d197.gif~c200

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On 2012年12月8日 at 9:29 AM, Guest likes asian said:

I have always been perplexed as to why many asian cultures have a derogatory word they use for whites? I visited asian countries many times (coming back to singapore in a couple of weeks) and as a tall white guy with light coloured hair and attractive features I have never found it hard to strike up a conversation or something else :-) But it seems in every asian culture there is love/hate relationship (especially in the gay world it seems) with white guys! and frankly I don't get why? I don't know how other white dudes have felt but its weird to be sought after while at the same time the object of scorn. Insights please?

Because you have not seen an angmo/gweilo pulling a small size Asian guy by the collar and drag like a dog or shouting at bank staff to withdraw money without proper formalities just as I have seen before ! Is no wonder Madonna have to fuck these bitches on stage too !

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Guest Black Hairs
9 hours ago, Guest Steve said:

I have just been relocated here in singapore. Someone called me Ang Mo. I'm discreet gay to be honest but how come they know by calling me that name?

 

 

You are lucky not being called a white trash.  haha.  Ang moh means red hairs which is a standout among  us with black hairs.

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9 hours ago, Guest Steve said:

I have just been relocated here in singapore. Someone called me Ang Mo. I'm discreet gay to be honest but how come they know by calling me that name?

 'Ang Mo' is a general term used by locals to refer to caucasoid people, regardless of the sex or orientation.

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I think ang mo is quite a neutral term and only points out that white guys look...different.

 

Compared to Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese etc, where there are some slightly negative words like 'ghost', 'devil', 'outsider' etc.

Image00109.jpg

I'm always running after you.

You are my ideal.

You are me.

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2 hours ago, darkflame said:

I think ang mo is quite a neutral term and only points out that white guys look...different.

 

Compared to Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese etc, where there are some slightly negative words like 'ghost', 'devil', 'outsider' etc.

In HK , there is a beer brand named gwei lo , promoted by a gweilo 

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  • 5 weeks later...
Guest boychaser
On 8 December 2012 at 9:48 AM, beachyboy75 said:

ang mo means "red hair" literally in the chinese dialect, its just a term coined by singaporeans dated back to british rule. i think it does not mean anything negatively, just used by early singaporeans.

hong kongers called the whites "guai lo" which means "ghost person", but with years gone by, i don't think it means negative as well.

i'm sure there are terms white people call asians or chinese as well...

:)

 

So does it apply to all white males?

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Guest Neh Neh

I have never seen a "white" men in my life. But all Europeans so called "White" men in asean countries i met are all look  "redish yellow" to me. So the word Ang Mo (red hair) is right.

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  • 6 months later...

Even though I am not Singaporean, I am a Hokkien/Teochew speaking Malaysian. Ang mo(紅毛) literally just translates into red hair in H/T. (Don't look up for that word in a Mandarin Chinese dictionarybecause the modern standard Mandarin pronounces it as h hong Mao)

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