It's considered an outmoded term from the days of Colonialism. The word "Oriental" implies a Western-centric perspective since by definition it defines "Orient" as relative to Europe or Europeans. The degree of offensiveness depends on where the word is used: in the U.S. it's considered a derogatory term while in many European countries it's commonplace word.
Asian simply means an ethnicity from the continent of Asia. Oriental means someone of an ethnicity of the Orient, like China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Korea, etc. The term "oriental" is frowned upon in Canada, USA and Australia as offensive, so such people tend to use "Asian" to refer to them in sometimes their close relatives like the Polynesians and even Amerindians. In the UK, "Asian" means someone from South Asia (like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, etc.), and the term "oriental" is not viewed as offensive.
The U.S. Census Bureau uses the term "Asian" to refer to people with origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. As of the most recent census data, around 6% of the U.S. population identifies as Asian. It is important to note that the term "oriental" is considered outdated and offensive in many contexts, so it is best to use "Asian" instead.
"Oriental" is an outdated and often offensive term used to refer broadly to Asian cultures and people from the East. It does not specifically denote Chinese or Japanese origins. It is more respectful to use specific terms like "Chinese" or "Japanese" instead of the term "Oriental."
There are 4.3 billion people in Asia proper, as of the middle of the year 2013. "Oriental" is an outdated term referring to people of Asian descent that is no longer politically correct to use.
Oriental was a term used long ago to describe someone from the "orient". The orient was Japan, and China. Nowadays we don't refer to people from China or Japan as being from the "orient" if we do not know whether they are Japanese, or Chinese, or Taiwanese, we say they are "Asian"
The term "Oriental" historically referred to people from East Asia, particularly countries like China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia, as well as parts of Southeast Asia. However, it is considered outdated and potentially offensive in contemporary usage, as it can perpetuate stereotypes and a Eurocentric view of different cultures. Today, more specific and respectful terms such as "Asian" or the names of specific nationalities or ethnic groups are preferred.
An oriental chef is a term that is considered outdated and inappropriate. The term "oriental" is associated with a Eurocentric perspective and is considered derogatory when referring to people or cultures from East Asia. It is more respectful and accurate to use terms like "Asian chef" or specify the specific cuisine or region, such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. It is important to use language that is inclusive and respectful of all cultures.
Oriental: From or pertaining to the Orient. Asian: From or pertaining to Asia. Simple, no? What constitutes "the Orient" is a matter of discussion, and has changed over the last seven hundred years. One fairly precise definition states that it is the area "...constituting the biogeographic region that includes Asia south and southeast of the Himalayas and the Malay Archipelago west of Wallace's line." Etymologically, oriental comes from the Latin word for east, just as occidental came from Latin for west, austral from south, and boreal from north. Asia is the entire continent, so when you use the term Asian, you're including the middle-east, Israel, and possibly India. (This is debatable, because India actually sits on a different tectonic plate--hence the Indian Subcontinent.) In recent times, roughly the last fifteen years, Oriental has retroactively been declared an offensive or insensitive word amongst some people. In reality, it was historically NOT used in a deliberately offensive manner, and any attempt to take offense is intellectually dishonest. If someone takes offense at your legitimate use of the word Oriental, challenge them on it. Make them explain why they think it's offensive. Invariably, there is no valid reason other than, "because it IS!"
The term "oriental" is considered outdated and potentially offensive when referring to people from Asia. Individuals from this region exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics, including various skin tones, hair types, and facial features, influenced by diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds. It's important to recognize and appreciate the rich diversity among Asian peoples rather than rely on generalizations.
In mandarin, the word Chong means bug. Ching chong is an offensive term for asian people and is really not appropriate for use. However, chong by itself is appropriate as it means bug.
A spick is an offensive term to spanish people.
Technically, the Middle East where Lebanon is situated is part of the Asian continent, but most Lebanese regard themselves as Arabs. However, some Lebanese Christians think of themselves as "Phoenicians" instead. There are also a number of minority groups such as Kurds and Armenians that identify as their own nationalities.