Jook-sing
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Jook-sing (Cantonese for 竹升 Jyutping: zuk1 sing1), is a term used to describe an American-born Chinese person who has grown up in a Western environment.
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Etymology
Template:Wiktionarypar2 "Jook-sing" means a grain-measuring container made of bamboo (compare the term senk1 daw2 (升斗), daw2 being a kind of rice measurer). Bamboo is hollow and compartmentalized, thus water poured in one end does not flow out the other end. The metaphor is that "jook-sings" are not part of either culture: water within the jook-sing does not flow and connect to either end. Some so labeled do not consider the term derogatory, though many do. Use of the term predates World War II <ref>[1]</ref>.
Alternatively, the Jook-sing is alternative term to bamboo stick in Cantonese. While the original Cantonese term jook-gon (竹竿, bamboo stick) sounds like 竹乾 (bamboo dry) or 竹降 (bamboo down) which means unfortunate to Cantonese people, Cantonese says a fortune alternative Jook-sing (lit. bamboo rise) instead. The metaphor of Chinese outside, hollow inside is still held in bamboo stick.
Usage in North America
In the United States and Canada, the term is pejorative and is used to describe Westernized American-born or Canadian-born Chinese, those who have lost or "denied themselves" their Chinese heritage. This term originates from Cantonese slang in the US and is most commonly used in situations where the person lacks knowledge of Chinese culture/customs, the Chinese languages (ie. in reading, writing, listening, or speaking), or their acute and profound knowledge of Western culture/customs, and/or the English language.
Stereotyped values and cultures
According to the pejorative meaning of the word, people labelled as "jook-sing" usually consider China as the mere cause of their appearance and an abstraction possessed by their parents or ancestors. They may know slightly more about traditional Chinese culture, especially the customs, than many non-Chinese, but they still consider themselves to be more Western.
Some praise the "jook-sing" for their great pride and patriotism of their birth country. However, some first-generations see them as denying themselves their identity and shamed by the traditions of their families.
Oftentimes, the denial of Chinese-ness is evident in a common childhood fantasy to be born white (or have white parents or siblings) to avoid teasing and name-calling of other non-Chinese children in neighbourhoods and schools. However, with growth towards adulthood, this is usually reconciled with the beginning of an acceptance and embrace of their heritage.
Some "jook-sing" adults, however, sever ties with families and Chinese communities, informally, and mingle only with non-Chinese, mostly Caucasian. They typically view Chinese heritage as a setback to prominent social status.
As a result of Westernization, most of them are Christian by religion. Some might be possibly either agnostics or atheists.
Related concepts
"Banana kids" (Heong1 ziu1 zay2) is another term used in a similar way to Jook-Sing.
"Twinkie" is based on the Hostess snack cake of the same name, which is yellow with a white filling.
"Beef patty" is a phrase describing the yellow pastry with a ground beef (i.e. black) filling.
"Egg" is a rarely used term, occasionally pejorative, for the opposite situation: A Caucasian who has acquired Asian culture.
"FOB" is a pejorative term for "Fresh off the boat" used to describe recent immigrants. Typically, the recent immigrant doesn't understand the term "FOB" (as they are not fluent in English) and thus don't know when they are being insulted.
See also
- American-born Chinese
- Overseas Chinese: Chinese American, Chinese Canadian, Chinese Australians
- Ethnic slur
External links
- Second Generation Chinese Americans at University of San Francisco
- Pilgrimage to China by Beth Boswell Jacks
- Strained Relations by Julie D. Soo
References
<references />
- Emma Woo Louie, Chinese American Names, McFarland & Company, 1998, ISBN 0786404183
- Douglas W Lee, Chinese American history and historiography: The musings of a Jook-Sing, 1980.