unconquered savage; uncivilized aboriginal
Dated term used historically to refer to indigenous peoples considered uncivilized or outside state control. Now considered offensive and replaced by more neutral terms.
Taiwanese aborigines outside Qing jurisdiction
Historical term specifically for Taiwanese indigenous tribes not under Qing dynasty control. Used in colonial-era contexts.
The word 生蕃 often appears in old documents.
During the Qing dynasty, the Taiwanese 生蕃 had a culture distinct from the Han Chinese.
熟蕃 referred to indigenous peoples who had submitted to Qing rule, in contrast to 生蕃 who remained outside jurisdiction.
Modern, neutral term for indigenous peoples, replacing the dated and offensive 生蕃.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
Variant kanji spelling; 番 is a common substitute for 蕃 in this context.
Rare variant using 蛮, emphasizing 'barbarian' nuance.
From Chinese 生番 (shēngfān), literally 'raw barbarians', used in Qing dynasty to classify indigenous groups. The Japanese reading せいばん is a direct borrowing.