Japanese American Generational Terminology

Flashcards outlining key terms and concepts related to Japanese American generational identity and the historical context surrounding these terms.

Issei

1st Generation Japanese immigrants, born in Japan, who moved to America.

Nisei

2nd Generation Japanese Americans, born in America to Japanese-born parents.

Sansei

3rd Generation Japanese Americans, whose parents are American born and whose grandparents were born in Japan.

Yonsei

4th Generation Japanese Americans, whose great grandparents were born in Japan and immigrated to the US.

Kibei

Japanese Americans born in the US, sent to Japan for education, and returned to the US before WWII.

Nikkei

General term for all Japanese people living outside of Japan, including immigrants and their descendants.

Yellow Peril

A racist term used in the 1900s to describe the perceived threat of Japanese immigration.

Euphemism

A more positive or less offensive substitute for a word.

Connotation

The implications or associations of a word beyond its literal meaning.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word.

5th Column

People working for an enemy country through espionage, sabotage, and propaganda.

Alien Land Acts

Laws that forbade Issei from owning land or working on farms, reinforcing their status as perpetual foreigners.

Perpetual Foreigner Syndrome

The perception that Asian Americans are forever foreigners, regardless of their citizenship.

Redress and reparations

The acknowledgement and compensation, usually financial, for the victims of human rights violations, injustices, or injuries.