Skip to main content
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.
The word Gwailo denotes a filthy corpse and it is a slur used for pale white people ( aka Non- Meditteranians) by people of Southeastern Asia.
Eg:

A: Why is there such a strong stink here?

B: Look sideways, its that smelly gwailo! Don't you know that they have a history of not taking baths ?
Gwailo by Moreneo March 7, 2024
Related Words
A Chinese (Cantonese) term that Cantonese people call white people. Gwai lo means "ghost person" in Cantonese. Madarin people don't use gwai lo, since its Cantonese. The term gwai lo (ghost person) is an improper term, but we're just use to calling white people gwai lo.
A mean gwai lo was rude to me today.
gwai lo by Wil_C_from_TO January 4, 2004
(n.) vaguely pejorative Cantonese slang for foreigner. Translations differ depending on who you ask. Apparently it was once meant to mean "foreign devil" (an extreme insult), but usually these days is said to mean "ghost man" due to white foreigner's pale skin and is used as a general term to mean foreigner. Gweilos get upset about being called this. Chinese think it's no big deal.
Chi sin gweilo.
Maa faan gweilo.
Fo shizzle ma gwizzle
gweilo by el revez May 13, 2004

Gweilotine 

A portmanteau of Gweilo (a common Cantonese slang term for Westerners. In its unmodified form, it applies on the light skinned people and has a history of racially deprecatory use) and guillotine (a machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading people)... you get the idea
Mike smoked marijuana while on vacation in China, was caught by the authorities, and was immediately sent to the gweilotine, without trial. Be smart. Don't be like Mike.
Gweilotine by A100NZ June 6, 2018
Gweilo is Cantonese. It translates as 'Ghost Man' and is used to describe a Caucasian foreigner.

Although most of China is familiar with this word only Cantonese speakers use it as a derogative way of describing a white person.

It is considered highly offensive in Mandarin China and with some white people.
A Cant (Cantonese person): "Did Gweilo like his dessert?"

Cant waiter: "Yes he did."

White mixed European male who ate THE dessert (and knew what the word meant) remarked: "Did that Cant just call me a Gweilo???"
Gweilo by Karlosus August 23, 2009
A Cantonese (Chinese) word for a person or persons of Caucasian descent. In the past, it was meant as a demeaning racial slang towards people of white decent. However; over time it has lost its meaning and is no longer meant as a degrading word. It is now used freely and carries no derogatory meanings.

The more politically correct term is bakyen which means white people/person. However, this term is not as prevalent as guailo. Another common version of this term is bakguai which means "white demon"; which too no longer carries a derogatory meaning.

The literal meaning of "guailo" means "demon guy", "ghost guy".

Alternate Spellings: guilo, guilou, guailou
Why are there so many guailo here at this restaurant?
Guailo don't know how to eat Chinese food.
guailo by Huy Ly April 1, 2008
More from Urban Dictionary

Frothability 

The measure of an emotional and over zealous consumer in an upwardly charging market, also known as a bull market. It's characterized by rising asset prices, increased investor confidence, and favorable growth in the markets, bro.
The frothability was evident as over-zealous consumers eagerly engaged in bidding wars, driving property prices to unsustainable levels reminiscent of previous speculative bubbles.
Frothability by cptn.kagaroo1 January 26, 2024
Word of the Day on November 12, 2026

Soul digger

A man who dates women with the sole purpose of exploiting their time, energy, and labor while he sucks the joy and happiness from their lives.
"That guy's a soul digger. He'll expect you to work full time, but you'll be doing all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, and childcare while he plays video games or watches TV."
Soul digger by anonymous November 11, 2026
Word of the Day on November 11, 2026

pod person 

A person pretending to be something they aren't, or an impostor. This is inferred because of the old alien movies where alien pods appear on earth and the "pod people" dispose of the humans and slowly reproduce the bodies, pretending to be humans.
The pod person was pretending to be my father, but I knew that he was an alien when he acted differently than my father ever would have.
pod person by Christopher M. May 9, 2005
Word of the Day on November 10, 2026
A dead drop is a location used to secretly pass items between two people, without requiring them to meet.

Spies have been known to use dead drops, using various techniques to hide the items and to signal that the drop has been made. Drug dealers use this as well.

A common place is to duct tape the item to the underside of a toilet cover in a public restroom.

A signal is sometimes used as well to indicate there is something to pickup, like a pile of stones in a certain formation. After checking the drop the signal is removed.
"The dead drop is the restroom toilet at the Gulf station at the corner of Commercial Ave. and Georges Rd."
dead drop by rubberroom July 23, 2008
Word of the Day on November 9, 2026

No Surprises Wedding

A "No Surprises Wedding," or NSW, is a wedding invitation designation that tells attendees that there can be no unplanned announcements, engagements, events or speeches at the wedding - all actions must be pre-approved by the couple. Anyone who performs an unapproved "surprise" will be asked to leave the wedding early.

This designation comes from Reddit, where so many stories of bad wedding behavior indicated a need to communicate expectations for the wedding behavior of attendees.
You are cordially invited to the nuptials of Brian and Tom on October 31 at noon.

Please note that this wedding is child-free (under 10) and a No Surprises Wedding (NSW). Reach out to wedding planner Sami Smith to request approvals or exceptions; please note that exceptions will be rare. Limited child care for under-10s will be available. All approvals will be noted and included in planning. Unapproved, or surprise exceptions, will result in guests being asked to leave.
Word of the Day on November 8, 2026
Load more