Children of Asian immigrants, do you feel more Asian (for example, feel more Chinese if your parents are Chinese) or American?

8 comments

1. I’m just curious because I told someone I feel more Japanese (I’m Japanese American) and they said “no you’re American, not Japanese.” I was wondering how other children of Asian immigrants feel.

2. I always feel a little weird claiming being Asian. I technically am, but mom’s adopted. I have zero connection to my genetic heritage from that side

3. Definitely more American out of the 2, but I identity most as Asian American. My great grandpa came to the US from Japan in 1906 (been digging around ancestry.com recently lol). We carry on some of the food traditions and holidays, but I only speak English and lead a fully American lifestyle.

4. Indian American. I understand Tamil pretty well (at least the Iyer brahmin Tamil my parents speak) but I cant speak it. Used to be able to until I went to school and then it was gone. I hear this is not uncommon amongst 2nd gen immigrants. Been to India many times. As far as how I feel identity wise, no question I feel American more than anything else. Whenever I travel internationally, I get a palpable sense of relief and breath a sigh of relief when I land at SeaTac every time.

5. Mom’s Vietnamese and dad is Korean. Both were immigrants. I don’t speak Vietnamese but know a little Korean. I definitely feel more Asian than American since my parents exposed me to Asian culture from a young age. I went to Korean school since I was a toddler but stopped going. I haven’t been to Korea yet, but making a trip there is a bucket list visit of mine.

6. Idk if this really applies to me but I’m Korean-American. My mother was adopted from South Korea when she was about 3 or 4 so she only knew a limited amount of her native language and as she grew up she essentially assimilated in to American culture completely.

   For me at least culturally I’m American and I don’t have any strong connections to Korean culture but ethnically I still call my self Asian . That being said I do hope to visit the country sometime and even learning some of the language.

7. Think it’s generally very uncommon for kids of immigrants and their descendants to feel more Asian than American. You definitely hear the “I’m an American first before I’m anything else” sentiment from most Asian-Americans.

8. Maybe because I’m not the child of immigrants but what’s stopping them from feeling Asian and American? They aren’t mutually exclusive terms.