lou5 ngoi6老外

Jyutpinglou5 ngoi6

Yalelóuh ngoih

Definition

Foreigner.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

This term is widely used in casual conversation to refer to non-Chinese people, particularly those of Western descent. While it is not inherently malicious, it is informal and can sound slightly blunt or reductive depending on the context. Using it in professional settings or when addressing someone directly can come across as impolite, so it is safer to use 外國人 when you want to be neutral or respectful.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

go2嗰go3個lou5老ngoi2外gong2講gwong2廣dung1東waa2話hou2好lau4流lei6利aa4呀。

That foreigner speaks Cantonese very fluently.

nei5你ping4平si4時wui2會m4唔wui2會tung4同di1啲lou5老ngoi6外king1傾gai2偈？

Do you usually chat with foreigners?

Common phrases

sik1識lou5老ngoi2外

to know foreigners

zou6做lou5老ngoi2外

to act like a foreigner

Common mistake

Learners often mistakenly use this term to refer to any non-local, including people from other Asian countries. In practice, it is almost exclusively reserved for people of Caucasian or Western appearance.