Asian

American  

[ey-zhuhn, ey-shuhn] / ˈeɪ ʒən, ˈeɪ ʃən /

adjective

1. of, belonging to, or characteristic of Asia or its inhabitants.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Asia or a person of Asian descent.

Asian British  

/ ˈeɪʃən, ˈeɪʒən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Asia or to any of its peoples or languages

2. of or relating to natives of the Indian subcontinent or any of their descendants, esp when living in Britain

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Asia or a descendant of one

2. a native of the Indian subcontinent or a descendant of one

Sensitive Note

Asian is the most commonly used term referring to people in or from Asia, especially East Asia. In American English, Oriental as a noun or adjective applied to people is outdated and has become a sensitive term to be avoided. It is associated with a bygone era in which Asians had subordinate status and their culture was perceived as strange and exotic. Also, the origin of the term Oriental represents a Eurocentric view of geography, since the Orient, or East, is east of Europe. However, Oriental is a neutral, inoffensive term when used as an adjective describing Asian culture or things from Asia. Similarly, the term Asiatic is usually offensive when referring to people, but neutral when referring to Asian culture, animals, etc. Though Asian is an acceptable ethnic designation in most contexts, it is best to be as specific as possible, rather than to group all Asians into a single cultural identity. In general, people of South, Southeast, and East Asian origin prefer to be identified by their country of origin: for example, Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese. The people of the Middle East and Polynesia are not usually referred to as Asian.

Usage

To refer to someone from the Indian subcontinent as an Asian is potentially offensive and should be avoided. If you are talking about one specific group, it is better to say so, for instance people of Indian descent

Other Word Forms

• anti-Asian adjective
• half-Asian adjective
• non-Asian adjective
• pro-Asian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Asian

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin Asiānus, from Greek Asiānós; Asia, -an

Compare meaning

How does asian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Asian American vs. Asian

Example Sentences

"Working alongside our local South Asian communities to co-create and share this history is vital to what our museums stand for in celebrating diversity, curiosity and shared ownership of our heritage," he said.

From BBC

Asian equities and government bonds rose on Wednesday as hopes for a quick end to the Middle East conflict soothed concerns over elevated inflationary pressures driven by likely higher-for-longer oil prices.

From The Wall Street Journal

After their loss at Wembley, which saw Japan become the first Asian side to beat England, the Three Lions end the March international break without a win.

From BBC

The U.S. has a strong record of assimilating newcomers, from Asians in San Francisco to Irish in New York to Cubans in Miami, and birthright citizenship has been part of that story.

From The Wall Street Journal

Asian nations are facing a major energy crisis as a result of the Iran war, with a sharp fall in crude shipments and few alternatives, global maritime analytics firm Kpler told AFP on Tuesday.

From Barron's