asian american: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, neutral, academic, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “asian american” mean?
A person living in the United States who is of Asian descent or has origins in Asia.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person living in the United States who is of Asian descent or has origins in Asia.
Relating to or characteristic of Americans of Asian descent, including their culture, history, and experiences in the United States.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is primarily used in a US context. In the UK, the analogous but not directly equivalent term is "British Asian," which typically refers to people of South Asian descent. "Asian American" is not a standard demographic or identity label in the UK.
Connotations
In the US: Specific identity tied to American experience, history, and civil rights. In the UK: The term is understood but often considered a US-specific label.
Frequency
High frequency in US media, academia, and official discourse. Very low frequency in UK contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “asian american” in a Sentence
[AdjP] Asian American [N]be an Asian Americanidentify as Asian Americanof Asian American descentVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “asian american” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The museum hosted a British Asian film festival.
- She is a prominent voice in British Asian politics.
American English
- The university has a strong Asian American Studies program.
- Asian American voters are a significant demographic in several states.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in diversity and inclusion reports, marketing demographics, and HR contexts.
Academic
Central term in Asian American Studies, sociology, history, and cultural studies.
Everyday
Used in news, conversations about identity, culture, and politics.
Technical
Used as a demographic category in census data, public health research, and social surveys.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “asian american”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “asian american”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “asian american”
- Using 'Asian' alone when 'Asian American' context is needed (e.g., 'Asian history' vs 'Asian American history').
- Hyphenation inconsistency ('Asian-American' vs 'Asian American'). Current style guides often recommend no hyphen for noun phrases.
- Assuming it is a monolithic group.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Modern style guides (APA, Chicago) recommend omitting the hyphen in noun forms (an Asian American) but using it in adjective forms before a noun (Asian-American culture) is also common, though increasingly the unhyphenated form is used for both. Consistency is key.
It includes people with origins in East Asia (e.g., China, Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand), and South Asia (e.g., India, Pakistan, Bangladesh). The US Census defines 'Asian' broadly.
'Asian' is a geographic/cultural term referring to anyone from Asia. 'Asian American' is an ethnic identity term specifically for people of Asian descent living in the United States, encompassing their unique historical and social experiences.
No. 'Oriental' is considered outdated, pejorative, and Eurocentric when referring to people. It is appropriate only for describing objects (e.g., oriental rugs). 'Asian' or 'Asian American' are the correct terms.
A person living in the United States who is of Asian descent or has origins in Asia.
Asian american is usually formal, neutral, academic, journalistic in register.
Asian american: in British English it is pronounced /ˌeɪ.ʒən əˈmer.ɪ.kən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌeɪ.ʒən əˈmɛr.ə.kən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: Continent (ASIA) + Country (AMERICA) = ASIAN AMERICAN. It combines origin with nationality.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDENTITY IS A BLEND (Melting Pot / Salad Bowl metaphors)
Practice
Quiz
Which term is the UK equivalent most similar in function to 'Asian American'?