阿山

Shortened from 阿爾泰山／阿尔泰山 (Ā'ěrtài Shān).

阿山

1. (historical) (～道, ～行政區, ～專區) Ashan, Xinjiang, China (now Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China)

• 阿勒泰 (Ālètài)

From 阿 (a, “prefix showing familiarity”) + short form of 唐山 (Tn̂g-soaⁿ, “mainland China”).

阿山

1. (Southern Min, Taiwan, dated) mainlander

   • 這個阿山仔，加來是加損蕩的啦 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     这个阿山仔，加来是加损荡的啦 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     From: 2003: 公視文學大戲『家』 (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation—Family), episode one

     chit-ê a-soaⁿ-á, ke lâi sī ke sńg-tn̄g--ê--lah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     These mainlanders are coming here in droves and creating more turmoil. (This episode takes place in 1949 as refugees from the Mainland are fleeing from Mao Zedong's forces to Taiwan.)

This term was primarily used to refer to the Nationalist Mainland Chinese — whether Hoklo, Hakka, or (as in most cases) neither — who arrived in Taiwan from 1945 through the early years of the Cold War. This term later came to be replaced by 外省人 (Gōa-séng-lâng).