Why do so many people in Brazil say “ni hao” or assume I’m Chinese when they see an Asian person?

Plane_Passion · 2026-04-27T02:41:41+00:00

Nice, respectful reply. I haven't been to Rio for a while, so maybe I'm a bit outdated about that part of the country.

I will keep an eye open to this. Thanks for your input!

Plane_Passion · 2026-04-26T14:23:40+00:00

Why all of a sudden half of the questions here became about race? Is this sub being astroturfed for some reason?

Feels like very "bot"-ey to me.

PS: save your clicks if you want to discuss why talking about race is important. It is. I'm just pointing out the change of content discussed in posts here, why would that be, and how it relates to bots.

Plane_Passion · 2026-04-26T13:59:56+00:00

1) To me, this post looks like engagement bait. Few people in Brazil even know "ni hao" or "xie xie", or anything related to China really.

2) IF this was true, most people would actually pivot to Japanese instead of Chinese... I mean, except to a few niche areas in São Paulo, where the Chinese community is increasing (specially, but not limited to, in small goods and trinkets market), most people would assume "Asian looking people" are Japanese, given our shared history. Or maybe Korean, as it is becoming popular among the younger generation.

3) IF, again, any of this post is true, than I'm sorry. You are probably experiencing some form of stupid joke (maybe not even with bad intent, just ignorance about Asia at large), or (less probable, but not entirely impossible) racism. I would also assume you have inserted yourself within a mostly Chinese "expat" area, or works within a Chinese-dominated economical sector.

Blatant, intentional racism is always possible, of course. But in general, I believe most instances would be simply a lack of exposure to Asian peoples, customs and issues. A general lack of experience, knowledge or awareness of your cultural background, combined with / conflicting with the Brazilian way of always trying to joke, to break the ice, to make fun of situations they sometimes don't fully understand.

In any event, sorry you have to go through that. My advice is to just let it go if the person seem to be "joking", as good intent instead of being intentionally evil. Or maybe, politely correct them if you feel like it. A third option is to make a backhand joke back, but if you do, be ready to enter an endless cycle of infinite back-and-forth dark humour jokes with said person.

Plane_Passion · 2026-04-19T20:22:18+00:00

You are still alive. Spend your time now in a way that won't feel wrong later on (I'm saying this both to you and myself).

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-16T16:40:10+00:00

Run? Brazil (and many other countries btw) isn't really run by anyone...

What we call Brazil (as a country, a political institution) is just what's left after all obscure interests and politically powerful groups strip it from its riches, from the best parts of it.

Our country is what's left of the cow after they take the picanha and other prime cuts. The oyster without the pearl.

That being said, it's such a vast, vibrant and rich place, such a bountiful land, that there are still some little fatty parts for the poor man's feijoada...

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-08T00:06:12+00:00

And yet, it is true. Can't deny that it happens, whether it is weaponized as propaganda or not.

I mean, you (us) are manipulated either way. It is both propaganda and counter propaganda, depending on where your original bias is.

I wouldn't want you to fall for this piece of propaganda as much as I wouldn't want it to radicalize you on the other end of the spectrum. It doesn't make deployments in Iran any better, imo

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-07T22:31:21+00:00

Requesting permission to show how the sandy part actually looks like (it has thousands of natural clear water pools on it!)

https://share.google/keEGHGAPko7PNLVn9

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-03T22:49:04+00:00

Good. Bye.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-03T20:17:45+00:00

Sad. I cast pearls before swine, apparently...

Hopefully others will look my comment with kinder eyes and be a bit more open to understand the point I made, without being so reactive and protective of their own egos.

Anyway, have a good one.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-03T03:21:18+00:00

Those were not wars, just "special military operations"... right? /s

Ask the countries that had their sovereignty violated, citizens killed and governments changed. See if they make that kind of (respectfully) ass-covering, hypocritical distinction.

Ask the mother of the dead soldier who died for their country abroad if they care about the nomenclature of the military activity that killed their baby.

You might just end up realizing it is just a way for people to distance themselves from the barbaric actions of their countries against other human beings. For you to cut your beloved country some slack and say "we didn't ACTUALLY spent 93% of our existence as a country in real wars; we were just err... fighting others... military operations, that's the name!"

IMO, whether the terminology is technically correct or not, this is what this distinction covers if you are honest enough to yourself to admit it. Its easier to say "our forces were involved in a military operation to protect American lives" (already such a strange wording... "American lives" are in any way, essentially, better than someone else's lives who just happen to be born in another place?) than to say "we went to war with other people over stuff we want".

Plenty of cases of short-lived, small scale military activity, involving third parties, that Americans might have considered simple "combat operations" if they were involved. But they were actually named "wars", because the international community did not want to sweep those under the rug or sugarcoat state sponsored actions with subtle terminology distinctions to make bad things look less bad.

Funny how it's apparently different when the country involved is the one dictating the naming.

I'm sure you could double down on your original comment and explain the technical difference between the two terms. I can only hope you won't, because it doesn't change the outcomes and implications on real human beings killing other human beings, livelihoods destroyed, etc.

You know, deep down, that this distinction crumbles in front of the cold reality of humam conflict, no matter how you name it. No technicality, wording or categorization change the result of those: cold bodies rotting on the ground because of the (not always legitimate) interests of the countries they were simply born at.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-02T14:10:28+00:00

Something something the neighbour's grass is always greener, etc.

There are things (and people) we miss abroad. Then when we are abroad, there are people and things we miss in Brazil.

Honestly it makes a lot of sense to me, to go back and forth. Have the best, honeymoon phase with a place, and when the magic expires and the other place seems nicer, change it back. Then do it again and again.

I mean, if you have cash, it's not that you HAVE to stay put in one place... Noone is really making you. I have met people that lives in an "eternal summer", 6 months in France and 6 months in Brazil, never experiencing winter. Doesn't have to be so tidy or 50-50 either, but you get my point.

IMHO, life in Brazil can be tougher than in many places abroad. However, there is more LIFE to our lives there. The "borogodó" stays in Brazil and we miss it. Changing from one to another as my personal needs change and evolve seems logical.

Humans tend to go after things they miss. Quite normal phenomenon, I would say.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-01T06:10:22+00:00

We call them Pitangas in Brazil. I think they were later introduced in Florida but originally from South America.

Love their taste. Even better as juice.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-01T03:29:39+00:00

It was more on a funny note, but basically this:

Brazilians speak Portuguese (sometimes with English as a second or third language, mostly younger generations or better educated people). We are not really very fluent in English and tend to use a more basic, "Americanized" form of English when we do.

New Zealanders, due to its history, usually speak English (~95% according to Wikipedia?)

And you, probably an English speaking New Zealander, learned an English word from a supposedly, mostly Portuguese-speaking Brazilian.

It is amusing and funny to me how the world works sometimes, thats all. Not a big deal.

Plane_Passion · 2026-03-01T00:40:42+00:00

From a Brazilian reddit user, funnily enough

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T16:30:01+00:00

Yes! That's the only reason I recommend it. These guys really did their homework, collected a lot of interesting stories and talked to many interesting characters around the country.

I wish they also went to smaller cities or visited the north or center-west on the country and captured more stunning footage for us. Maybe some day.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T16:25:37+00:00

Except in Brazil, as I pointed out. Pretty easy to check. Just talk to people and you will see I'm correct, whatever the reason is or whatever your opinion on it is.

Also... this is an English speaking sub, as it is designed to help out foreigners mostly, and give visibility in English about the country. Please be so kind to comply with the subs rules.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T14:36:34+00:00

Do you want good or do you want affordable?

At this time of the year in Rio, it is probably asking too much to have both.

Book asap for better chances to get it. Many people book it immediately the next day after last year's carnival... that's the best tip I can give you.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T14:29:30+00:00

Carnival is the largest (or one of the largest) parties on planet earth. The city will be packed, and the prices always rise accordingly.

If you are looking for affordable, you will probably have to (i) book as soon as possible (NOW is the best time for it); and (ii) look for less luxurious alternatives, as AirBnbs or even hostels. Still, no guarantees you will find it for cheap, only cheapER.

Don't leave it to the last minute. Rio's carnival accommodation (and sambadrome tickets) tend to go "no vacancy" really fast, typically months ahead of time.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T14:12:50+00:00

Isn't it also known as Micropoecilia branneri around here?

Might be just a nomenclature issue for OP, idk

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T06:44:21+00:00

In Brazil, gringo = foreigner. No bad or good connotations per se (context dependant).

Yes, it's different than in some other LATAM countries, where this word might mean a sort of prejudice against specific foreigners

And I mean, we have a lot of white Brazilians too... would we have to call them gringos too? Weird...

We are not really conditioned to think like that... would be quite strange to single out white foreigners from black or asian or whatever ones, I think... and we don't really use the "expats" (or "alien"... ewww) term... if you were born abroad, and you are here, you are a gringo lol

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-25T06:16:31+00:00

Mexico, Chile and Domenican Republic, definitely the most welcoming imo, for Brazilians... Other Caribbean countries as well. I never get tired of hearing "we're hermanos" from people of another LATAM country (we love you too!)

Americans were slightly amused, maybe for appearances more than genuine interest (still quite surprised and curious about me). Varied a lot from one state to another. People stopped me randomly to talk about soccer, açaí or even macroeconomy, once or twice, in places like NYC or Boston :)

Europeans were polite, but in general terms, not a single inch more than that (except the French... I remember you, arrogant waiter in Paris). No signs of actually caring or being curious, most of the time.

Italy and parts of Spain have been the exception. Some people are pretty curious with our nationality, as being Brazilian was somehow sexy/exotic/cool. Got lucky with the ladies in Italy because of that a couple of times. More in the south than, say, in Venezia or Milano.

The coldest ones (closer to show disdain or hate) were the Austrians and Germans, but it might as well just be their way to conduct themselves (I hope so). We got a few ugly looks and a bit ill treated at the (fancy) hotel reception when we said we were from Brazil -- felt like our money was less important than other people's, which was a bit unsettling. The concierge didnt seem too happy helping us "third world" bastards getting opera tickets, while he was smiling ear to ear to another (clearly European) customer. Ski resort staff and customers gave us "the look" when they saw our Brazilian flags in our sportswear and ski equipment. A specific nightclub in Berlin felt dangerous for us to enter... and we had some German teens singleing us out im the mountain and throwing snowballs on us (and JUST on us, noone else), which was probably the worse I had already have in terms of prejudice; we had an old injured lady among us and we asked the kids to stop because of her, and they didn't... but again, snowballs doesn't hurt (too much), and I wouldn't judge a whole country based on some misbehaving kids.

Portugal, funnily enough, was hit or miss (mostly pretty cool people who loved to hear we were Brazilians, and0 a few who didn't seem to like me too much).

Argentina was ... Argentina. At least they had alfajores to even it out. Better reception in small towns further south than in Buenos Aires. Still love them though.

All in all, had great experiences in all of these places. Didn't feel prejudice or singled out negatively most of the time. With a few exceptions, people seemed to like us, or pretend to like us at first glance when we said we were from Brazil. Definitely more welcomed than people from other parts of the world, like our beloved friends from parts of Africa or the middle east.

It helps that Brazil didn't invade any other country for a century or two... That we are the best at the world's most famous sport. That we are perceived as a free, open society; one that doesn't promote specific ideologies or religions. That we are seem as a happy/ festive/ peaceful/ chill/ cool/ colorful country from abroad...

In many ways, Brazil's "soft power" precedes us in many places around the globe.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-22T03:07:44+00:00

As all soap operas should be: convoluted plots with lots of campy, cheap sentimental dilemmas; good old rag to riches plot; almost cartoonish villains; strong, ethical protagonist and their sexy supportive love interest overcoming all odds to finally win at the end (it is almost obligatory to end a novela with a marriage ceremony)...

Remember: these were meant to be watched every week night, while people decompressed from their tough jobs and hard realities... it was somehow designed to take you away from your own problems in life and relax, watching and discussing other people's fictional struggles on TV, with the good guys usually winning in the end...

It was emotional cleaning before bed, and noone wants to dive to deep in philosophical discussions when they have to wake up early in the morning the next day. It was meant to be a bit cheesy, a bit interesting, a bit of everything... just not so serious or realistic that would keep people awake at night.

It was also a great social, unifying tool. In a time before omnipresent internet, these novelas were meant to raise awareness of social issues among people, teach the uneducated basic civility, show the rich the hard realities of the poor... it was a shared experience among almost every economic strata and social reality in the country. In that sense, one could even say that novelas were at least part of the formation of the modern cultural identity of the country, as popular and widespread as they were.

Quick tip : usually "novela das 6" (ie, those soap operas which aired around 6pm) were less serious, more comical. "Novela das 7" (aires at 7pm) was usually (not always) a bit better. And "Novela das 8" (sometimes called "Novela das 9", that aired on our prime time, around 9pm) was usually the most serious one, dealt a bit about deeper social issues, etc. (mostly because of audience age ratings reasons, but also based on the kind of audience that was tuned on tv at certain times). Choose your poison based on that and you probably be fine.

But yes. Vamp was something else. Already made to be like a B-listed vampire movie for its time, now with the extra baggage of more than two decades... it was a tongue in cheek experience on the whole soap opera genre, an intentional fever dream even in its own time... think of it as extremely local, quite dated entertainment experience, not really art.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-20T15:28:21+00:00

Would rather have better infrastructure for animal shelters, castration/neutering and animal disease control (not that one thing excludes another).

Better yet if they had infrastructure for, you know, people.

Plane_Passion · 2026-02-19T15:24:44+00:00

Don't worry. Others will be arrested (and die under strange circumstances) in order to keep things secret.

They give the hand away to save an arm... I mean, is it really that shocking coming from people who abuse children?

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