Why are white people called white, black people called black, but Asian people aren't called yellow?

Answer 1

Yellow is often used to call people cowards, so the term would have two incompatible meanings.

Answer 2

Because "yellow" was used as a term of hate towards Asians, whereas white for Caucasians, and black for people of African descent never was. Calling an Asian person "yellow" is the equivalent of... well, I'm sure you can think of plenty of nasty, hate-driven, politically incorrect words to insert here. Also, in the United States, "yellow" has a connotation of cowardice.

Answer 3

that is a term that has been used for oriental asians (Chinese-Japanese area asians), yes. Seems to be an older usage, you find it in older books and movies. Didn't Clouseau call Cato "my little yellow friend" in one of the earlier Pink Panther movies? I seem to remember the term "yellow hordes" from the early cold war era (Korean war times). Lots of other references I could think of. Maybe it is just a case of not being so yellow as whites are white and blacks are black. American Indians were "red men", don't hear that much anymore either, not really a very useful term in either case, and it tended to tick off the people being called that, I suppose.

Answer 4

Maybe because the simplified color thing came into wide usage w/ blacks and whites just before the politically correct thing started to get serious?
I mean, asians aren't yellow, but black people aren't black (usu.) and white people aren't white, either. So a simple thing like logic shouldn't stop the label.

Answer 5

they are called yellow here maybe not where you live but in other areas they are and i dont see how they are yellow when i see like 1 asian out of 20 that are a little yellow.

Answer 6

Some places they call them yellow, but generally it is not accepted. Technically, if you want to be color picky, you could say that white people are actually on the peachy side (or on the burnt chicken side like paris hilton and her wanna-bes) black people are just dark brown, and Asians are just kinda milky. So color stereotypes are pretty much useless.

Answer 7

because it would be an insult, the white and black thing has been around for a long time that i guess it makes it ok... but yeah.... calling asians yellow or mexicans brown would be weird

Answer 8

i must admit till i just read this i have never in my 32 years of live heard of asian people yellow 1 there not yellow and what is this going resolve honestly next your b saying aliens are red lol

Answer 9

I thought whites today wanted to be called Caucasian, blacks called African Americans, and the Asian, I have no clue.

Answer 10

White and Black are on the way out. Once America collapses under the weight of the bloated Bush Administration, the other western nations will follow.