“侨”,是寄居、客居、旅居的意思。“华侨”,即寄居于国外的中国人。这是距今80多年前,清朝官员为将海外“弃民”的身份提高到“国民”的资格而设想出来的一个词,一直沿用至今。如今85％以上的华侨都已取得所在国国籍,不再是中国公民,也不属暂时的客 “Overseas Chinese” is the hometown, guest residence, living meaning. “Overseas Chinese”, that is, Chinese who reside abroad. This is the word envisioned more than 80 years ago by officials of the Qing Dynasty to raise the status of overseas “renounced people” to “nationals” and has been in use ever since. Now that more than 85% of overseas Chinese have acquired the nationality of their home country, they are no longer Chinese citizens or temporary visitors