Why are East Asians considered "yellow"?

[Anonymous]

Caucasians are white, blacks are black? Hispanics I have no idea, Indians are brown, why are East Asians considered yellow?

[ThalsTals]

I can't believe no one has actually answered this haha. The origins date back to a while ago so I make a reference to this:

en.wikipedia.org/.../Color_terminology_for_race

because it explains it better than me.

[Asker]

What they? they use all sort of random colors for different ethnicities.

[ThalsTals]

What?

[mei0313]

There are so many different yellow though lol 😛
I wanna be "dipped in honey" yellow, if they want to call my yellow 🙊

findanoutlet.files.wordpress.com/.../...amples.jpg

[Asker]

I'm goldilocks

[mei0313]

Niceeeee:)

[COCOCHANEL]

golden undertone due to high amounts of beta carotene. researched about it for a project. it's a good thing. embrace it.

[Asker]

Hmmm, is there a benefit if it's a good thing?

[COCOCHANEL]

it keeps skin looking good. google it if you will. goodnight

[Asker]

Will do! goodnight

[COCOCHANEL]

thank you

[decemberxblue]

The same reason we're referred to as "Black."

i.forbesimg.com/.../kobe-bryant_416x416.jpg

media2.wnyc.org/i/620/372/l/80/1/blackbox.jpeg

(He's the Black Mamba, but that's beyond the point.)

[Asker]

Yaa, y'all should be called brown.

[KhrushBrownies]

East Asians aren't yellow, Blonde people are yellow..

2.bp.blogspot.com/.../...ns%20skin%20color%202.jpg

[Asker]

Yes, thisss.

[CheeseLoveWhiz]

I've always wondered that too lol I've super pale Asians and Asians darker than myself and I'm black lol
I agree with @EgyptianNergerts , it definitely has do with a lot of Asian people having a yellow undertone to their skin. A lot of Caucasians actually have a pink undertone and it makes me wonder why they aren't called "pink people" lol

[CheeseLoveWhiz]

*I've seen

[Asker]

I haven't noticed the yellow undertone. :O

[CheeseLoveWhiz]

You can also very well not be Asian and have a yellow undertone. It's kind of a stereotype. It really depends, I found this on the scientist who made up the color classification : https://tinyurl.com/mgqosas
A lot of his research is considered ignorant by today's standards but, his terms stuck because it was easy to remember by color for people.

He lived in the 1800's so, some of his research is considered ignorant by today's standards and

[CheeseLoveWhiz]

*oops my comment edited weird haha pleas ignore that.

[Asker]

All good.

[nerdyasianman14]

Why Simpsons are yellow?
Why Minions from Despicable Me are yellow?
Why Pikachu is yellow?

Why? Why? Why?

[Asker]

Omg, they're ASIAN!

[nerdyasianman14]

Not all Asians are Chinese. Stupid Hollywood.

[Asker]

They're all Korean now.

[nerdyasianman14]

Yeah too much mainstream music from Korea. 5 years from now, people will think Asians are Koreans. But I doubt it.

[Asker]

lol we'll be Evil Chinese.

[Heathrowguy]

It's stereotype... like they say red Indians... they aren't red... I've never seen a red Indian like I haven't seen a yellow East Asian.
Examples - Asians being brown... no that's not true... some are very pale and some extremely dark.

[EgyptianNergerts]

I think because they stereotypically have yellow undertones. And I have heard that hispanics are red here and there :3

[Asker]

I see, I have never heard the red one. lol when have you heard that?

[EgyptianNergerts]

Tbh, can't really say I know the source, but it's just that type of thing you learn as your life goes but never really tried to think of where it came from :(

[CommieDearest]

I think white people just didn't want to call them white, because it makes no fuckin' sense.

[Asker]

lol, why not? I see a lot of white people that are really red.

[CommieDearest]

Don't ask me, I think it's horse shit. Lol.

[Asker]

but you're a genius.

[CommieDearest]

They needed an easy color to call them to be degrading lol

[want2helpout84]

I have no clue. I think it's used to insult Asians at one point. But to be honest the term isn't that popular anymore.

[Asker]

Really? I don't see how yellow is insulting.

[kangy]

Yessss I find it insulting

[ItzDizzY]

I remember people in secondary school would ask me "Why are you yellow" I would reply "I'm not yellow you idiot, do I look like Homer fucking Simpson to you?"

[Asker]

lol shit... I've never had anyone ask me that.

[ItzDizzY]

Well London is a very multicultural place. I didn't take offence to most of it as it was just banter. That's why racism hardly exists here in the UK.

[been_waiting]

I have never met an Asian that I think looks yellowish at all. I don't know where this comes from.

[Asker]

Me neither. Apparently some Asians have a yellow undertone that I don't see.

[been_waiting]

I actually see more white people with that undertone.
It's the same as calling mixed people "high yellow." You might not have heard it, it's a southern terminology that my parents use. They don't look yellow at all! No one looks yellow except the Simpsons.

[kangy]

like my skin tone

[been_waiting]

@kangy I don't think you look yellow at all

[princess9089]

Because they ain't pale like twilight characters lol

[Asker]

LOL, shit I have only seen ads and they're pale as fuckkk.

[princess9089]

lmaoooooo

[pr3ttybr0wn]

some of them have yellowish undertones but a lot of them are pale white

[Asker]

Based on my picture do I have this so called yellow undertone? O_o

[pr3ttybr0wn]

yes u do

[Anonymous]

Those are just the name of the race. Not literal skin color. A black person is not literally black and a Hispanic person is not literally brown (there are white Hispanics) yellow probably refers to the undertones

[Opinion Owner]

stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/.../...yellow.html

#stuffwhitepeopledo

[Asker]

lol got it.

[realerthanreal]

Indians from India? Because I've heard people consider natives red. And Hispanics considered brown.

[Asker]

Ya, I meant Indians from India.

[Hyped_up_on_coffee]

I have been asking the same question for years as Asians come in many different colors

[Asker]

yaaa, I'm not even yellow.

[Hyped_up_on_coffee]

yeah like there are white and tan Asians

[Asker]

Exactly! I've seen a of pale white Asians that are even more white than white people!

[Mayesha]

Yes they have that light yellowish fair skin.. maybe that's why

[Asker]

Do you see that in me?

[Mayesha]

You look white. :P

[Asker]

:O first time someone gas said that to me.

[want2helpout84]

I don't have yellowish skin! That means I have a sickness like jaundice or something? Lol!

[Anonymous]

Blacks aren't black. We're brown. Very few of us are actually black. Most of us are the same color as dark Indians

[Asker]

That's what I've always noticed, but always felt weird calling a black people brown.

[Opinion Owner]

I think it's the same thing for Asian people though. Since SOME Asian people are yellow and SOME black people are black they use it as a blanketed phrase for all of us

[Anonymous]

White people degrading anyone different than them doesn't have to make sense, fartface.

[abundantlyrich]

if you take a picture with the flash light captured. Our skin takes in a yellow undertone.

[Anonymous]

It was an imperial way to divide them from the whites..

[Asker]

possibly true.

[Anonymous]

I don't know but it's stupid. All my Americans friends are like "Wow your so pale". Besides I never really see domeone with a literally yellow skin :/

[Asker]

I have, but thats cause they had some gall bladder problem.

[bubbletrouble]

Because a lot of East Asians are yellow especially the Chinese

[Asker]

Sooo, I've been looking in the mirror and do not see the yellowness.

[dev765]

Hispanics/Indians both get lumped into the brown category.

[Asker]

I learn something new everyday.

[Anonymous]

generally they have a stronger yellow undertone to their skin? indians tend to be yellow too but are darker so are just "brown"

[Anonymous]

Some, like you, do look kind of yellowish pale with almost like a posted note. But many are just pale, I don't call them yellow.

[Soccer1998]

I'm Asian I have tan skin, when I'm cool my turn to yellowish and when I'm warm turn to dark tan

[Asker]

Makes sense, apparently when my tan goes away like in my current picture someone said I look white

[Lelialia]

Idk... Cuz they aren't white and thats the closest color? Haha I don't know

[Keyspirits]

I'm gold.. that's how bolder diggers were invented.

[Anonymous]

I don't even think you look asian. More like mexican no offense

[Asker]

Dam how have I overlooked this?
Have you seen a mexican in your life?

[Anonymous]

I can't speak for all Asian areas, but I have no idea how the term "yellow race" invented since I've never seen a baby here born with yellow skin.

[miss_ana]

im not white but im not tan. what color is it?

[Lyndsielee666]

I definitely have a yellow tint to my skin -_-

[Asker]

lol, I never noticed any person with a yellow undertone. Do you see yellow tint on me?

[Lyndsielee666]

Eh maybe if you weren't tan.
When I actually go outside and don't act like a hermit I'm not all yellow like this.
Hahahha

[Asker]

Get burned easily huh.

[JulyAndrews]

@Asker A yellow undertone is actually very common. I have it to and my parents are from North Africa. Girls who wear foundation know about the different undertones hahahha

[Asker]

@Julyandrews ohh, maybe thats why I'm clueless. :(

[Lyndsielee666]

Never burned actually. Its the hawaiian genes. Haha
But she's right. Yellow undertones suck

[Klaatu51]

Indians (native americans) aren't red?

[Asker]

Indians from India I meant.

[kangy]

I dont like to be called yellow roarrrrr

[AnimeDreama]

I will roar with you rrooaarrrr
(god damn you're cute as fuck)

[Asker]

Dam for second I thought you were talking about me!@AnimeDreama
All good though, I'm still cute as fuck!

[kangy]

@AnimeDreama thank you :)

[AnimeDreama]

@ihav2fart you have badass tattoos and your hair is awesome

@kangy you're welcome :P <3

[Negrodamus]

they're called yellow because white was taken

[Asker]

Now, I shall ask why black people are called black when they're brown or dark brown.

[Negrodamus]

i think indians are a lot more brown looking than black people are.

[Asker]

Kobe Byrant looks brown.

[Negrodamus]

i dont know man. it is what it is

[Asker]

lol okay okay.

[Anonymous]

We're not yellow, we're golden!

[Asker]

I'm fine with that, its better than yellow.

[altair212]

cuz they are Asians lol

[Asker]

Indians are Asian too and they're brown.

[altair212]

OH THEN I don't know capslock srry

[Answerstolife17]

I don't know lol.
My skin tone is tan.

[Anonymous]

Cause it was the only remaining colour? Idk.

[Asker]

I rather be blue.

[Opinion Owner]

I'd rather be green... I don't quite like yellow.

[Asker]

Ya!! yellow sucks!

[Anonymous]

I can see some that are yellowish looking

[Asker]

Really where?

[Opinion Owner]

Not anywhere specifically but I've seen some Asians that seem to have that look. It's basically tan looking but it seems like there's a hint of yellow