Ba a jera kalmar "Shanghaier" a yawancin kamus ba, domin kalma ce da ba kasafai ake amfani da ita ba kuma wacce ba a saba amfani da ita a yau ba. Duk da haka, kalmar ta samo asali ne daga sunan "Shanghai", wanda ke nufin wani birni a kasar Sin. A karshen karni na 19 zuwa farkon karni na 20, an yi amfani da kalmar "Shanghaier" wajen bayyana wanda ya yi garkuwa da shi da karfi ko yaudara ko kuma tilastawa wasu mutane yin aikin jirgin ruwa a cikin jiragen ruwa da ke barin tashar jiragen ruwa na Shanghai, galibi na dogon lokaci ba tare da biya ko iyawa ba. don barin jirgin. An san wannan al'ada da "Shanghaiing," kuma waɗanda suka yi shi an san su da "Shanghaiers."