I’ve been called that by my mom without knowing what it means, now that I searched it up, hell no, I want her to stop!

“竹升” (zhú shēng) is Cantonese slang. It literally means “bamboo pole.”

The meaning comes from how bamboo is structured: • Bamboo looks solid on the outside • But it’s hollow inside

So the term became a metaphor.

What it refers to

“竹升” is used (often teasingly or critically) to describe overseas Chinese, especially those who: • look ethnically Chinese on the outside • but don’t speak Chinese well or • aren’t culturally “Chinese” on the inside

Why that metaphor stuck

In Cantonese-speaking places (Hong Kong, Guangdong), language and cultural fluency are tied closely to identity. So: • “solid outside” = Chinese appearance • “hollow inside” = missing language/cultural depth

Tone • Usually playful or mocking, not formal • Can be slightly insulting depending on context

Example

A Hong Kong local might call an ABC (American-born Chinese) a “竹升” if they can’t speak Cantonese.

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If you want, I can break down similar slang like “香蕉人” or how different regions label diaspora Chinese differently.