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 In American English, Oriental as a noun or adjective applied to people is outdated and has become a sensitive term to be avoided.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

Deadly fires are not uncommon in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 17,000 islands.

From Barron's

Asian equities mostly rose Monday in quiet post-Christmas trading as investors look ahead to the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's policy meeting this month, while precious metals retreated from record highs.

From Barron's

Parliamentary elections in Myanmar that kicked off on Sunday have been widely condemned by international organizations, other Southeast Asian countries and most Western governments.

From The Wall Street Journal

But in Luton, with its sizeable Irish and eastern European heritage communities alongside a big British-South Asian population, leaders say they have worked hard -- and successfully -- at cohesion.

From Barron's

The Southeast Asian nation of some 50 million is riven by civil war and there will be no voting in rebel-held areas.

From Barron's