I am sure this is well known in China. But I recently became aware of what is known as 回国三氣:小氣土氣洋氣 as a derogatory stereotype for oversea Chinese visiting China.
First小氣: Surviving with refugee mentality in the US, we tend to be careful with spending money even though often there are no longer reasons to do so. For example, in the US we typically ask the restaurant where we eat out to pack up leftover food to takehome (打包). But in China this is considered to be stingy or shameful. We seldom see it done in China when eating out with or without friends. Other examples of being careful with money abound.
Second土氣: Most of us live ordinary middle class or upper middle class lives in the US where the latest fashion trend and/or what is “in” or “out” are not routinely observed.But Chinese in China are particular about “name brand 名牌” and “style 派头”. Thus, returning oversea Chinese appear to be “country bumpkins 鄉下人” to native Chinese.
Lastly, 洋氣: Oversea Chinese having lived in the US for long period or being born there have forgotten or not familiar with current subtle Chinese customs and human relationship (or hidden rules). As a result, they behave in the eyes of native Chinese as “uncouth” or “not cool”.
Even though I have been returning to China almost every year since 1979 and am a reasonably careful observer of Chinese development for the past 35 years, I am sure I have committed all these three sins multiple times in the past. No wonder my wife wisely advised me years ago that “I am not fit to live long termin China”. (Note I don’t consider Chinese students who had college education in China and then came to US for graduate study and work before returning to China in the category of oversea Chinese)
