Why is "Chinaman" derogatory, but "Englishman", "Scotsman", "Irishman", "Welshman", "Dutchman" not?

[Bobby Martnen]

I've always wondered about this

[Smitty]

I use it. There's no better demonym. "That Chinaman" is far superior to "that Chinese man" or "that Chinese."

[arkas]

Such mysteries cannot be answered by mere mortals.

[NSXD60]

You ain't got a Chinaman's chance in hell of finding out, but keep chinking away at it.

[Mortimer]

maybe it has a negative connotation historically. maybe historically it was used as deragatory and the others not.

[GreentheViper]

It is literal: Chinaman - "man from China"

[Mingle]

Because it was used in a negative manner and thus developed a specific connotation. Same with why "Jap" and "Paki" are considered derogatory but Aussie and Brit aren't and also why "Blacks" isn't either used. Its not the word by itself but the baggage that the word carries.

Fun fact: there is a cricket delivery known as the chinaman. It was developed by a Chinese-origin guy playing for the West Indies (Caribbean) against England: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-arm_unorthodox_spin

The Wikipedia page says that its use was only discontinued in cricket's almanac earlier this year.

I really wish the term wasn't discontinued because the term Chinaman fits English so much better than "Chinese" does. Chinese can't work properly as a plural. "Chineses" doesn't make sense so you have to take the long route and say "Chinese people" when addressing it in plural form.

[NSXD60]

Probably comes from that phrase I used because they were used to tunnel through mountains with dynamite to lay tracks for the railroad and many were blown up, so "Chinaman's chance in hell" became derogatory.

[dystopiansc]

I've always wondered about this

Book a flight to California, and drive on Highway 101 or 405.

I never knew people would spend 80k on BMW M5s and Audis only to drive 15 mph below the speed limit and change lanes like there's no other car on the road.

Until I got my driver's license and drove next to Chinamen and Chinawomen.

[zhaoyun]

Because it was used as a slur and still is one.