yellowface

American  

[yel-oh-feys] / ˈyɛl oʊˌfeɪs /

noun

1. facial makeup used by a white, non-Asian actor or entertainer when portraying an East Asian.

   In Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, the role of Cio-Cio San was performed in yellowface.

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Etymology

Origin of yellowface

First recorded in 1850–55; yellow (in the sense “Asian”) + face ( def. )

Example Sentences

And if you liked RF Kuang's YellowFace, you will also enjoy this novel's satirical take on the publishing industry.

From BBC

As much as “Katabasis” has in common with Kuang’s earlier works, tonally it might have most in common with “Yellowface.”

From Los Angeles Times

Like June Hayward/Juniper Song in “Yellowface,” Alice and Peter are so trapped in the flimsy reality they’ve constructed that they can’t see the obvious way out.

From Los Angeles Times

Already a mother when she meets Richard, as well as an actress with plenty of experience in Chinese films, Vivian in 1975 is a complex figure, struggling to break into an industry that was rarely writing roles for her, with whitewashing and yellowface still very much a reality.

From Los Angeles Times

Kuang’s 2023 novel “Yellowface” looks identical to the original, including the English title.

From New York Times