I'm a Malaysian Chinese!

Explaining my identity to people from foreign countries especially people from China is really troublesome.
They tend to not see the difference between Malay and Malaysian when I proudly introduce myself as "I'm a Malaysian".
 Here is something that me and my friend had both encountered recently.


China man: Are you Chinese?
你是华人吗？
Me: Yes, I am.
我是。
China man: Which state are you from?
哪个洲来的？
Me: Selangor.
雪兰鹅洲
China man: *confuse* Pardon me? Guang Zhou?
对不起，广州？
Me: No, no. I'm local, Malaysian.
不是不是，我是本地人，马来西亚人。
China man: Oh, you are Malay.
哦，你是马来人。
Me: *smack head* No no! I'm not a Malay, I'm a Malaysian.
不是不是！我不是马来人，我是马来西亚人。
China man: So you are Chinese or Malay?
那么你到底是华人还是马来人？
Me: *almost yelling* I'm a Malaysian Chinese!
我是马来西亚华侨！
China man: Ah.. I see. *finally he get's it*
啊，我明白了。


Although we are both Chinese and speak the same language but there is difference in it.
The same term we use might refer to different subject such as:


"Chinese" in his terms is referring to China people.
"State" refers to which part are you from in China.
"Malaysian" and "Malay" is the same to him.
"Malaysian Chinese" is a Chinese who lives in Malaysia.


So, whenever you go to China, always introduce yourself as "I am a Malaysian Chinese".
If not, you might have to give them a good explanation about the difference between "Malay" and "Malaysian".

I will feel like I'm a chicken talking to a duck 

when people don't get what I'm trying to said 

no matter how hard I tried my best to explain. 

In mandarin, it's call 鸡同鸭讲

Rachel