24828
Outside of Australia and New Zealand, am I likely to be understood by Japanese
speakers if I use キーウィ to mean New Zealanders?

Based on what
[weblio](http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A3)
and
[Wiktionary](http://ja.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A3)
say, I suspect not, but I want to check as sometimes dictionaries don't
mention slang terms.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-06T01:06:41.043
24826
2015-06-06T01:58:34.040
91
question
meaning slang loanwords
Can キーウィ be used to mean New Zealander?
I would have to say no.

「キーウィ」 refers only to the kiwifruit to at least 99% of Japanese-speakers --
perhaps even more.

Those who have lived in New Zealand or Australia **_might_** refer to a New
Zealander as 「キーウィ」 among themselves, but that kind of private usage still
would not count as an established meaning of the word within the Japanese
language.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-06T01:58:34.040
24828
2015-06-06T01:58:34.040
24826
answer