‘Chóng yáng mèi wài’ literally combines four characters: 崇 (to revere or worship), 洋 (foreign, especially Western), 媚 (to flatter or fawn over), and 外 (outsiders or foreign things). Together, it describes an attitude of excessive admiration for foreign cultures, products, or people—often at the expense of one’s own—and includes a condescending or servile tone toward outsiders. It carries strong negative connotations and is commonly used in political, cultural, or social criticism.

This term frequently appears in discussions about national identity, consumer behavior, education, or media. It implies not just preference but uncritical adulation—such as dismissing domestic achievements while praising inferior foreign alternatives solely because they are foreign. Historically, it emerged in modern Chinese discourse to critique colonial-era mentalities and remains relevant in debates about globalization, cultural confidence, and patriotism.