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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fancy a Chinese?

139 replies

Tinktravels · 04/05/2023 12:28

Now I know this is ridiculous but it might give you a laugh.

American people on tik tok have discovered that we call it ' a Chinese' rather than 'Chinese food'.
There has been so many stitches of videos from mainly English or Irish people saying things like 'I haven't had a Chinese in ages' or 'I really fancy a Chinese tonight'. There are many that are actually calling it racist which is we all know is rubbish!

They are also slating the food itself for not being authentic Chinese and having dishes like curry sauce and chips. Cant argue with that one we all know its not authentic but its bloody lovely.

Has it ever even crossed your mind that people would consider this racist?

(Search A Chinese British on tik-tok there are so many videos on this.)

OP posts:
1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor · 04/05/2023 13:41

Createausername1970 · 04/05/2023 13:07

I don't think "having a Chinese" is racist. Its descriptive of what it is.

But if we go for an Indian we say "going for a Ruby" - I think its rhyming slang, but not sure what for or why, we just do.

A big breakfast is a full English and I have seen menu's in Dublin serving a Full Irish for breakfast.

Going for a Ruby = Ruby Murray = curry.
It's cockney rhyming slang, the second word of the slang saying is usually the rhyming word and is then dropped. Obviously this particular slang phrase is not original Cockney rhyming slang but a newer one

Bargellobitch · 04/05/2023 13:42

I'm on tt a lot and haven't seen people saying its racist. I saw one person asking about the phrasing and seems fine with the fact its a short version of a sentence. Honestly feels a bit dramatic and looking for a reaction to say it's people sati g it's racist. Most of the videos are about the food being different.

oldwhyno · 04/05/2023 13:43

As others have said, it's an abbreviation. It's not racist. How American's feel about the way we use language doesn't make it racist.

How Chinese people feel about it doesn't really matter either.

SquidwardBound · 04/05/2023 13:47

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 13:40

I couldn't be more sure that nobody ever thought "mad as a box of frogs" is offensive to French people.

That would probably be because you don’t make any automatic association of French people and ‘frogs’. You’d have to think about what the link might be.

tabulahrasa · 04/05/2023 13:48

IMO the reasons Americans find the phrase a Chinese weird is that Chinese take out or Chinese food is a plural noun there and we use takeaway as a singular noun.

and... because the phrase a Chinese is only used in the context of food, if we were talking about people or anything else, we’d always use a noun or pronoun with it.

A Chinese. In the U.K. is the full phrase, they’re saying a Chinese, what? But to us it’s so obvious we mean food from a Chinese takeaway or restaurant that it literally doesn’t make sense in any other context, there’s no gap there for us.

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 13:49

In other news, nobody's banning Christmas and you can celebrate St George's Day any safe and legal way you want.

ArrrMeHearties · 04/05/2023 13:56

Will we have a Chinese tonight or an Indian tonight I see no wrong with saying this. Is just a shortened version of said cuisine takeaway. Nobody I know says will we get Chinese or Indian takeaway when deciding for dinner that night

Tinkerbyebye · 04/05/2023 13:59

It’s absolute rubbish, we say a Chinese, a Indian, a McDonald’s a Burger King, a Italian, it’s just how we speak

the person in question is American, and whilst I agree this is a generalisation, most Americans seem to think there is only their way in this world and don’t understand every other country is different to them

userxx · 04/05/2023 14:13

Snowtrails · 04/05/2023 13:33

Not racist. But it's a bit odd.

But saying "a McDonald's" or "a Costa" is weirder!

Eh? How is it weird?

Asthebellcurves · 04/05/2023 14:16

Having lived in the US, I think any critiques of authenticity of British-Chinese food are hypocritical to say the least. This also applies to racism.

Original poster
Tinktravels · 04/05/2023 14:32

I read a comment from an English person saying how nice it tasted and that they should try it.
Then a comment from an American saying ' don't trust them they devour beans on toast' 😂
That one made me laugh.

OP posts:
whowantssmore · 04/05/2023 14:47

Oh how mumsnet loves an anti American pile on. Just try to remember a few tiktokers do not represent the whole population of the US. Imagine if the whole of the UK was judged on a handful of smart arse 'influencers'

Enko · 04/05/2023 14:49

Gtsr443 · 04/05/2023 12:39

See Goodness Gracious Me and "Going for an English".

For what it's worth chips and curry sauce is fusion food at its finest.

Love that

Ja. Mes 😂

LeaveItJim · 04/05/2023 14:52

Tinkerbyebye · 04/05/2023 13:59

It’s absolute rubbish, we say a Chinese, a Indian, a McDonald’s a Burger King, a Italian, it’s just how we speak

the person in question is American, and whilst I agree this is a generalisation, most Americans seem to think there is only their way in this world and don’t understand every other country is different to them

You say ‘a Indian’ and ‘a Italian’? That is weird.

SecretsIWouldNeverTell · 04/05/2023 15:22

I don't give a shit what American people on tiktok think. Confused

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 15:23

You know-I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "going for an Italian."

SecretsIWouldNeverTell · 04/05/2023 15:23

Posted too soon. I don't give a shit what American people on tiktok think of ME!

WheelsUp · 04/05/2023 15:24

Is curry sauce an option at American McDonalds ?

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 15:24

"the person in question is American, and whilst I agree this is a generalisation, most Americans seem to think there is only their way in this world and don’t understand every other country is different to them"
Assuming the person dying this is British, the irony is spectacular!

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 19:00

Loving the influx of people with "loads of gay friends" . It's like the people who have "loads of black friends" who collect gollywogs!

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 19:01

Ah-shit-wrong thread! For gay friends read Chinese friends!

Vegetus · 04/05/2023 19:03

CurlewKate · 04/05/2023 12:37

I though that in general people didn't say "a Chinese" any more? Nobody I know would.

What do you say then? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Strawberrydelight78 · 06/05/2023 20:45

Apparently or cheese and chives.

Strawberrydelight78 · 06/05/2023 20:50

Why is it when you know what we're talking about. There's no need to be specific and say should we get a Chinese takeaway. It was the Americans that took our English language and changed some word's as well as adding they're own like eye glasses instead of just glasses and horseback riding instead of just horse riding.

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