华裔

• Pinyin: huá yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 华 = 艹 + 化 — China, ethnically Chinese; 裔 = 衣 (clothing) + 㐆 — descendants, lineage, posterity

Meaning

Ethnic Chinese who were born abroad or have taken foreign citizenship; a person of Chinese descent who is a foreign national.

华裔 encompasses anyone of Chinese ethnic heritage who holds foreign citizenship — whether first-generation immigrant or fifth-generation descendant. Often appears as a modifier: 华裔美国人 (Chinese-American), 华裔科学家 (scientist of Chinese descent).

Examples

1. 她是一位杰出的华裔物理学家，出生于加拿大，曾多次获得国际物理学奖项。 She is an outstanding Chinese Canadian physicist, born in Canada, and has won international physics awards many times.
2. 越来越多的华裔年轻人开始重视学习普通话，希望重新与自己的文化根源建立更紧密的联系。 More and more young people of Chinese descent are placing greater importance on learning Mandarin, hoping to reconnect more closely with their cultural roots.
3. 这部纪录片记录了第一代华裔移民在异国他乡艰苦创业的历史，引发了广泛的社会共鸣。 This documentary records the history of first-generation immigrants of Chinese descent working hard to build a life in a foreign country, and it has resonated widely with the public.

Usage Guide

Context: identity, diaspora, international affairs

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 近年来，不少海外华裔青年选择回到中国大陆或香港发展，一方面是出于文化认同感的回归，另一方面也看中了这些地区日益增长的经济机遇。(In recent years, many overseas ethnic Chinese youth have chosen to develop their careers in mainland China or Hong Kong — partly driven by a return to cultural identity, and partly because they see the growing economic opportunities these regions offer.)
• 这位华裔建筑师设计了多座举世瞩目的现代建筑地标，其作品在东西方美学之间找到了一种令人信服的平衡，至今仍被建筑学界广泛研究和引用。(This architect of Chinese descent has designed multiple globally acclaimed modern architectural landmarks; his work strikes a convincing balance between Eastern and Western aesthetics, and continues to be widely studied and cited by the architectural community to this day.)

Don't Say

• 华裔 when referring to someone who retains Chinese citizenship — that person is 华侨; 华裔 are specifically those who hold foreign citizenship

Origin & History

华 (Chinese; ethnically Chinese) + 裔 (descendants; offspring; posterity) — descendants of Chinese ethnicity

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal