American born Chinese

[Ju]

American Chinese means American born Chinese.
Chinese American means Chinese born American.

Are my understandings correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

"American Chinese" means "American-born Chinese".
"Chinese American" means "Chinese-born American".

Are my understandings correct?

Please note my alterations above. You need to mark out words you're asking about in some way. I have put quotation marks round them. You need the hyphens as shown above.

I don't necessarily agree with your understanding. For me, if someone describes themselves as "an American Chinese", it could mean that they hold both a US and a Chinese passport, or that they are of Chinese heritage but US nationality (passport), or that they are of American heritage but Chinese nationality (passport). It could even mean that they have an American mother and a Chinese father (or vice versa) but, for all we know, they could have been born in Holland and have Dutch nationality. In both cases, if you wanted to know for certain what the speaker meant, you would have to ask follow-up questions.

Neither of them says anything about where they live (I know you didn't suggest that they do but I just thought I'd point that out).

 

[jutfrank]

I'd expect most people to understand that somebody described as Chinese American is ethnically Chinese but residing as a citizen of the US, whether that's as a first or later-generation immigrant.

I don't know what I'd imagine American Chinese to mean. Without contextual clues, I suppose it would be taken to mean Chinese American.

 

[GoesStation]

In American English, a Chinese-American person is an American who was born in China or, more commonly, who has Chinese ancestors. We don't say American Chinese to describe a person.

 

[teechar]

I wonder if it can be used for someone who was born in China but who spent a large part of their life in America and then went back to live in China.

 

[Ju]

In American English, a Chinese-American person is an American who was born in China or, more commonly, who has Chinese ancestors. We don't say American Chinese to describe a person.

Can I say "American-born Chinese" to describe a person?
Eg. May is an American-born Chinese.

 

[teechar]

Yes, that's possible.

 

[GoesStation]

Can I say "American-born Chinese" to describe a person?
Eg. May is an American-born Chinese.

If China allows dual citizenship and May is a Chinese citizen, you can describe her in American English as an American-born Chinese person. If you're just considering her ethnicity, she's Chinese-American.

 

[Ju]

If China allows dual citizenship and May is a Chinese citizen, you can describe her in American English as an American-born Chinese person. If you're just considering her ethnicity, she's Chinese-American.

"American-born Chinese person", the ethnicity is "Chinese-American".

"Chinese-born American person", the ethnicity is "American-Chinese".

Am I right?

 

[SoothingDave]

There is no such term as "American Chinese." I can only imagine it being applied to someone who was born in America, emigrated to China, and acquired Chinese citizenship.

I don't know that such a thing is even possible. It certainly isn't common enough to have a common term for.


I also am reluctant to refer to "American" as an ethnicity. Americans come in every race. We think of "ethnicity" as the mixture of our ancestors.


I am an American by birth and citizenship. My ethnicity is Scottish/Irish/Swedish.

 

[GoesStation]

"American-born Chinese person", the ethnicity is "Chinese-American".

"Chinese-born American person", the ethnicity is "American-Chinese".

Am I right?

No. If you're American-born, you're American (unless your parents are diplomats), not Chinese. If you're American-born and your ancestors came from China, you can be described as Chinese-American — but you're still American.

 

[Skrej]

The term American-born Chinese is a commonly used term for natural-born US citizens of Chinese descent. It got a lot of exposure with the popularity of the show Fresh off the Boat (adapted from the book by the same name, which in turn was based off the pejorative term).

There's even a graphic novel by the name.

 

[GoesStation]

I've never heard it before. Maybe I have to get out more. Vaccine coming up in a couple of weeks!

 

[jutfrank]

The term American-born Chinese is a commonly used term for natural-born US citizens of Chinese descent.

Right. We use British-born Chinese in exactly the same way. In fact, I read it in an article not two hours ago.