Chinese word

华侨

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuá qiáo

Meaning

  • nounoverseas Chinese

Example

我们城市有很多华侨。wǒ men chéng shì yǒu hěn duō huá qiáo

There are many overseas Chinese in our city.

Illustration for 华侨 (overseas Chinese)

More examples

每年春节，华侨常回国探亲。měi nián chūn jié huá qiáo cháng huí guó tàn qīn

Every Spring Festival, overseas Chinese often return home to visit their relatives.

Core concept

A Chinese citizen whose long-term home is in another country.

Common phrases

  • 华侨回国huá qiáo huí guó

    overseas Chinese returning home

  • 华侨子女huá qiáo zí nǚ

    children of overseas Chinese

  • 华侨身份huá qiáo shēn fèn

    status as overseas Chinese

Similar words

华裔huá yì: A person with Chinese roots who may hold foreign citizenship.
华人huá rén: A general term for people who are Chinese citizens or of Chinese descent.
海外华人hǎi wài huá rén: Chinese people living outside China, regardless of citizenship.
侨胞qiáo bāo: A friendly term for Chinese compatriots living abroad.

Definition in Chinese

指长期在外国居住并且仍然持有中国国籍的中国人。zhǐ cháng qī zài wài guó jū zhù bìng qiě réng rán chí yǒu zhōng guó guó jí de zhōng guó rén

Word origin

The word joins 华 (huá, "Chinese") with 侨 (qiáo, "a person living away from home"), linking Chinese identity to residence overseas.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, nationality matters more than ancestry here: someone can have Chinese roots without fitting this term after becoming a citizen of another country.

Opposites

  • 归侨guī qiáooverseas Chinese who returned homenoun
  • 本国居民běn guó jū mínresident of the countrynoun

Related words

  • 华侨子女huá qiáo zí nǚchild of an overseas Chinesenoun
  • 华侨身份huá qiáo shēn fènstatus as overseas Chinesenoun

Word lists with this word