yellowmellow comments

For those who can read Japanese there is a good Goo Wikipedia entry on the word.

http://wpedia.search.goo.ne.jp/search/1245166/%B3%B0%BF%CD/detail.html

Also, an article in English on Wikipedia.com.

Knowledge is good.

Taken from a dictionary;

「外人」（がいじん）は、外部の人間のこと。一般には「外国人」を指す。

Conq - See your point and I guess it just comes down to how you interpret the language. I just think that the correct way to say foreigner is gaigokujin and it is showing lack of respect/knowledge to call someone gaijin.

When it comes down to it Japan is a great country with the most polite of racists on earth.

外人　＝　Someone that is outside the group or organisation. No included in the group or organisation. 外国人　＝　Someone from a foreign country.

I don't know about you, but I never been refer to a foreigner as an outsider or an alien. For example, which is everyday language?? A. The Foreign Student pays higher fees. B. The outside student pays higher fees.

You may have noticed that Immigration at the airport has changed the signs from Aliens to foreigners. Read into that what you may...

Foreigner = a person not native to or naturalized in the country or jurisdiction under consideration; alien, a person from outside one's community.

Foreign = of, pertaining to, or derived from another country or nation; not native, not belonging to the place where found.

Thanks for the defintion of the word foreigner. The point is that there is a word for foreigner, this being 外国人. Gaigin means Outsider or Alien.... See the difference???

I think that the word is TOTALLY DISRESPECTFUL. But, do the Japanese and gaikokujins actually think about the real underlying meaning when using it though??

外人　＝　外部の人

外　＝　Outside 人　＝　Person 外人　＝　Outsider, Alien.

Japanese is a great language because you can break the words down and get meaning from the characters. Try calling someone an outsider next time you are in your country of birth.