"Bun Mui" means a Filipino Domestic Helper in Hong Kong. Large numbers of Filipino women work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong and most their Chinese employers call their maids "Bun Mui". It is applied to all Filipinas regardless of age or social status. The term is offensive.

“Bun Bun” sounds friendly but it is not much different from Bun Mui.

“Maria” A name to typify a Filipino Domestic helper. It is usually accompanied by a Philippine accent. The intent is more to laugh at a helper than just a name. Similar to Bun Bun. Quite a few Filipinos use the name Maria for religious reason.

“Fei Yung” is the older version of the official name for Philippine domestic helpers.

“Ka Yung” is the proper and respectable name for helpers of all nationalities.
All the other names have negative intent. Few Chinese would use Ka Yung because
The name is too respectable for foreigners.

"Bun Lo" refers to Filipino men.
The world "Lo" means an unsophisticated or a male of the lower class in society.

The word "Bun" is taken from the is taken from the name Fei-Lut-Bun (Philippines).

The word "Mui" is century old word Mui Tsai which means a slavery type female bond servant bought and sold in China to perform household work.
The Mui Tsais are life long victims of abuse and deprivation under the cruel Chinese Mui Tsai tradition. The system was outlawed in Hong Kong in 1844 but the practice continued in China for many years and in the 1950s the system operated under the disguise of adopted daughters.

The word "Yung" means a household domestic servant.

The Mui Tsai system in China and Hong Kong

Chinese and British abolitionists found the Mui Tsai system "injurious to national prestige." For the Chinese, the "nation" of China was insulted by this barbaric tradition of slavery. For the British, the "nation" set the standards for the whole British Empire, and it hurt their national reputation that British colonized subjects did not comply with international anti-slavery trends when Hong Kong was under its control.

Contributions of the Philippine domestic helpers

Domestic helpers from the Philippines play an important role in the economy of Hong Kong. Their loyalty and quality services enable housewives to work and generate extra income for families. Their services also free housewives from household chores, which would give them quality time for their children. Filipinos also add a lot of color and vitality to Hong Kong. In the early days (1980s), the Filipinos were frowned upon as foreigners in Hong Kong taking up domestic jobs and all the space in Hong Kong public gardens. Hong Kong people were just waiting for excuses like littering and garbage leftovers to criticize them, but the Filipinos turned out to be the responsible and cleaned up neat and tidy before they left. Occasional incidents of child abuse involving Filipino helpers are prominently reported in newspapers and on television news. Very little recognition is given to their contributions. Filipinos are an important component of the multi-cultural society in Hong Kong. Hong Kong would just be another dull Chinese city without their lively presence. Many Filipinos managed to speak the difficult to master Cantonese after a few years in Hong Kong. The lively and go-happy style of the Filipinos is a great difference in contrast from the stiff, deadbeat; funeral-parlor looks of the average Hong Kong resident. The happy lifestyle and attitude and community spirit is admired and envied by Hong Kong residents.

Racist Hong Kong

It is not easy to remove the Bun Mui label in Hong Kong if you are a Filipino.
Philippines domestic helpers have the right to protest when they anyone call them “Bun Mui” in Hong Kong. If the Chinese insist of calling you Bun Mui, then ask them how would they feel if you called him/her a “Chinese Pig” (大陸豬).

Note that there are no laws in Hong Kong against racial discrimination in Hong Kong and the use of racial epithets in public is lawful. This situation is most shameful and that is why Hong Kong is now one of the foulest mouthed and most racist cities in Asia.

Hong Kong Chinese do not use proper names to address individual race or nationality. Derogatory or demeaning names are assigned for each race. They use racially derogatory terms blatantly and straight in the face. Anyone Chinese who is polite towards foreigners could be seen as a betrayer or someone who fancy foreigners. A derogatory word would always raise laughter and nodding among Hong Kong Chinese men.

External links

DOMESTICS MADE FOR ABUSE

THE MUI TSAI SYSTEM

SELL A MUI-TSAI HELPER AND A COW ALL IN ONE DOCUMENT 1915 China

NO NEED TO BE POLITE TO SAY FEI YUNG

MUI_TSAI_MOJI