Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Denoting or characteristic of the countries of Asia, especially East Asia: Used to describe things originating from, or associated with, the eastern part of Asia, such as cultures, art, or traditions. This term is now often considered outdated and potentially offensive when used to describe people.
   • Situated in or toward the east: An older, less common usage meaning eastern in position.

2. Noun (dated and often offensive):

   • A person from East Asia or of East Asian descent: This term for a person is widely regarded as offensive, stereotypical, and reductive, particularly by those it aims to describe. It is considered a relic of a colonial worldview.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The museum has a gallery dedicated to oriental art and ceramics. (Here, "oriental" describes artifacts from Asia.)
  • He studied oriental philosophy and religion. (This refers to philosophical traditions from Asia.)
  • The term "oriental rug" traditionally refers to hand-woven carpets from regions like Persia and Turkey. (This is a conventional, though increasingly dated, descriptor for a type of good.)

• Noun (illustrating historical/offensive use):

  • In 19th-century literature, characters described as Orientals were often portrayed with stereotypes. (This example highlights the term's problematic historical usage.)

Advanced Usage and Notes

• Sensitivity and Modern Preference: The adjectival use for objects (e.g., oriental rug, oriental studies) persists in some traditional contexts but is fading. When referring to people, the term is almost always offensive and inappropriate. Modern, respectful language uses specific nationalities (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Korean) or broader, people-first terms like "Asian" or "East Asian."
• Academic Context: The field once called "Oriental Studies" has largely been renamed "Asian Studies" to avoid the term's colonial connotations.
• Capitalization: When used, it is often capitalized as , especially in proper nouns (e.g., ).

Variants and Related Words

• Orientalism (noun): A term coined by scholar Edward Said to describe the Western academic study of Eastern cultures, often critiqued for producing stereotyped and romanticized representations of Asia and the Middle East.
• Orientalist (noun): A scholar who studies or is an expert in Oriental cultures (now often replaced by "Asian studies scholar").

Synonyms

• Adjective (for things): Eastern, Asian (more precise and preferred).
• Noun (for people): (preferred and non-offensive).

Idioms and Phrases

• No common idioms directly incorporate "oriental" in a way that is considered acceptable in modern discourse due to the term's loaded history.

Adjective

1. denoting or characteristic of countries of Asia
   • oriental civilization

Noun

1. a member of an Oriental race; the term is regarded as offensive by Asians (especially by Asian Americans)