Bananas, Lemons and Boiled Eggs

photo by RMT

Bananas, Lemons and Boiled Eggs. 

What do these three have in common?  The color: YELLOW –these foods are used to characterize the “yellow” Asian. 

The most common term is “banana”.  Yellow on the outside, white on the inside meaning someone who is Asian in appearance but who’s habits and lifestyle is Westernized.  You get the picture now. 

A few years back, my girlfriend asked me if my husband was a boiled egg.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  The banana term is well known, but I never heard this one before.  She informed me that a boiled egg, white on the outside and yellow on the inside, is a Westerner who practices or embraces Asian culture. 

Now you can figure out what a lemon is.   Being both yellow on the outside as well as on the inside, it describes an Asian who follows Asian traditions. 

These are not considered derogatory terms, just fun descriptions of those connected to Asia in one way or another. But, come to think of it, I haven’t heard any terms used for those with brown skin.  I guess there aren’t many foods that are brown and yellow.  Can you think of any?

Nowadays, many cultures are blended together and there is no one color. We are all one.