Do you have a friend who has a mixed heritage? Maybe you have a crush on someone at work who is from two different cultures? If you are looking for a way to refer to them but are not sure how, you may be in a tough spot. Perhaps you would like to address a friend or loved one who is mixed race; here is one way to do it.
When the object of your commentary is white and Asian, you can call them wasain. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
A Wasain is a phrase to refer to someone or a group of people that are of a specific mixed ethnicity. Any person who is a descendant of east and southeast Asia mixed with a Caucasian is a perfect example of a wasian.
The term only applies when there are no more than those two ethnicities within a person’s genetic makeup, if a third or more are present, the term Wasain won’t apply.
In the past being a mixed raced person was a source of discrimination, however, the cultural climate has changed dramatically. There are more mixed raced people in the United States than ever before and being Wasain has become a source of pride for modern adults.
Over six percent of the United States population are wasains, and the numbers are steadily growing. Other biracial groups such as Japanese Americans "Wapanese" or Indian and Caucasian "Windian" groups also exist in the U.S. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
"Hello, I want you to meet my new girlfriend; she is a wasain."
"Good morning; before we start, let's look at the number of wasains we have in our class."
"Wasian people are so beautiful!"
“No wonder you are good at so many things, being wasain allows you to get the best of both worlds”.
"I wonder how many wasain people are living in the United States right now."
Origin
The exact origin of the term is difficult to pinpoint, but in 2002, an individual used the term on wasian as he described the biracial group. As far as this slang goes, it spread quickly and is widely known for what it is. In turn, this creative term is now being used for every other type of mixed race group there are, as I mentioned a few up above.
The slang was meant to be comical and not hate-driven, but in some cases, it is used to describe that group of individuals that live below the poverty line. Currently, these slang terms are often used as a term of endearment to our loved one or to comically address a close friend or loved one. More phrases like these continue to appear as new races of people overlap.
Phrases Similar to Wasain
- Windian
- Wapanese
- Mexicanos Blancos
- Milano
Phrases Opposite to Wasain
This type of terminology doesn't have an opposite as it is a made-up name. The only way to understand the opposite of this phrase is to see Asians and Caucasians as completed separate races.
What is the Correct Saying?
- My girlfriend is half white and half Asian; she is a wasain.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Wasain
Other than mispronouncing the word in its entirety, the best way to misuse it is to misplace it together.
- "What are those white Asian people doing over there?"
- "Caucasian people who hang out with Asian people are wasains!"
- "White-washed Asians are just a bunch of wasains."
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Wasain
- "When a white man and an asain woman have a baby, it is called a wasain."
- "You don't have to be half white and half Asian to be a wasain."
- "Wasain people are so attractive; I wish I were wasain too!"
- “Being wasain is an easy way to get a foot in the door in both societies”.
- “My grandparents will never accept a wasain as one of their own, and that makes me sad”.