racist slur
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The following is a list of ethnic slurs or ethnophaulisms or ethnic epithets that are, or have been, used as
insinuation An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusio ...
s or
allegation In law, an allegation is a claim of an unproven fact by a party in a pleading, charge, or defense. Until they can be proved, allegations remain merely assertions.
s about members of a given ethnicity or
racial group A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
or to refer to them in a derogatory,
pejorative A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
, or otherwise insulting manner. Some of the terms listed below (such as "gringo", "yank", etc.) can be used in casual speech without any intention of causing offense. The connotation of a term and prevalence of its use as a pejorative or neutral descriptor varies over time and by geography. For the purposes of this list, an ''ethnic slur'' is a term designed to insult others on the basis of
race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
, ethnicity, or
nationality Nationality is a legal identification of a person in international law, establishing the person as a subject, a ''national'', of a sovereign state. It affords the state jurisdiction over the person and affords the person the protection of the ...
. Each term is listed followed by its country or region of usage, a definition, and a reference to that term. Ethnic slurs may also be produced as a racial epithet by combining a general-purpose insult with the name of ethnicity, such as "dirty Jew", "Russian pig", etc. Other common insulting modifiers include "dog", "filthy", etc. However, such terms are not included in this list.


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}) in Thai mean ''fraction'' (derogatory). , , - , Chankoro , Japan , Chinese people , ja, チャンコロ, a Japanese reference to a Chinese person. , , - , rowspan="2", Charlie , United States ,
White American White Americans are Americans who identify as and are perceived to be white people. This group constitutes the majority of the people in the United States. As of the 2020 Census, 61.6%, or 204,277,273 people, were white alone. This represented ...
s , Used in the 1960s–1970s. White people as a reified collective oppressor group, similar to ''The Man'' or ''The System''. , , - , United States ,
Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...
people ,
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
Slang term used by American troops as a shorthand term for Vietnamese guerrillas, derived from the verbal shorthand for "Victor Charlie", the
NATO phonetic alphabet The (International) Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, is the most widely used set of clear code words for communicating the letters of the Roman alphabet, technically a ''radiotelephonic spellin ...
for VC, the abbreviation for
Viet Cong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...
. The (regular)
North Vietnamese Army The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed win ...
was referred to as "Mr. Charles". , , - , China Swede , United States ,
Finns Finns or Finnish people ( fi, suomalaiset, ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland. Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these ...
, Derogatory term for Finnish immigrants to the United States, particularly in
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
. , , - , Chee-chee, Chi-chi , South Asia ,
Eurasian Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Ja ...
Mixed-race people, especially Anglo-Indians , Probably derived from Hindi ''chi-chi fie!'', literally, dirt. , , - , Cheesehead , ,
Dutch people The Dutch ( Dutch: ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Netherlands. They share a common history and culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Aru ...
or
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
ites. , , , - ,
Cheese-eating surrender monkeys "Cheese-eating surrender monkeys", sometimes shortened to "surrender monkeys", is a pejorative term for French people. The term is based on the stereotype of the French that they surrender quickly. It was coined in 1995 by Ken Keeler, a writer for ...
,
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, French people , From the defeat of the French by the Germans in 1940, and the huge variety of cheeses originating from France. Gained popularity after the term was used on an episode of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
''. , , - , Chefur (čefur) , Slovenia , Non- Slovenian people of
former Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
(
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
,
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, ...
, Bosniaks,
Montenegrins Montenegrins ( cnr, Црногорци, Crnogorci, or ; lit. "Black Mountain People") are a South Slavic ethnic group that share a common Montenegrin culture, history, and language, identified with the country of Montenegro. Genetics Accordi ...
, Macedonians) , , , - , Tsekwa / Chekwa , Philippines ,
Chinese Filipino Chinese Filipinos; tl, Tsinoy, / Tsinong Pilipino, ; Hokkien in the Philippines, Philippine Hokkien , Mandarin Chinese in the Philippines, Mandarin (also known as Filipino Chinese in the Philippines) are Filipinos of Chinese descent, mo ...
people , Used in
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
/ Tagalog and other
Philippine languages The Philippine languages or Philippinic are a proposed group by R. David Paul Zorc (1986) and Robert Blust (1991; 2005; 2019) that include all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi, Indonesia—except Sama–Bajaw (languag ...
, which derived it from the late 19th century Cebuano Bisaya street children's
limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, ceb, Intsik, wákang, káun, kalibang!, lit=Chinese (
laborer A laborer (or labourer) is a person who works in manual labor types in the construction industry workforce. Laborers are in a working class of wage-earners in which their only possession of significant material value is their labor. Industries e ...
), I work, eat, and shit!, where "Intsik"/"Insik" is derived from the Philippine Hokkien term, , while "wakang"/"gwakang" is derived from the Philippine Hokkien term, , while "kaon"/"kaun" is from the Cebuano Bisaya term, ceb,
kaon KAON (Karlsruhe ontology) is an ontology infrastructure developed by the University of Karlsruhe and the Research Center for Information Technologies in Karlsruhe. Its first incarnation was developed in 2002 and supported an enhanced version of ...
, lit=to eat, while "kalibang" is from the Cebuano Bisaya term, ceb, kalibang, lit=to defecate. , , - , Chernozhopy , Russia , Indigenous people from the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
, e.g. from Chechnya or Azerbaijan. , черножопый, or ''chornaya zhopa'', meaning "black-arse" in Russian. , , - , Chilote , Argentina , Chilean people , , , - , Chinaman , United States, Canada , Chinese people , A
calque In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language w ...
of the Chinese 中國人. It was used in the gold rush and railway-construction eras in western United States when discrimination against the Chinese was common. , , - ,
Ching chong "Ching chong" and "ching chang chong" are ethnic slurs and racial pejorative terms sometimes used in English to mock the Chinese language, people of Chinese ancestry, or other people of East Asian descent perceived to be Chinese. The term is a ...
, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, Philippines , Chinese people , Mocking the language of or a person of perceived Chinese descent. , , - , Chink , United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, India , Chinese people , , , - , Chinky , Mainland India , Northeast Indian people , The sound "chin" refers to China. The slur refers to the shared facial features of Northeast Indians and ethnically Chinese peoples. , , - , Chonky , , Asian people , Refers to a person of Asian heritage with "white attributes", in either personality or appearance. , , - , Christ-killer , ,
Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish people , An allusion to
Jewish deicide Jewish deicide is the notion that the Jews as a people were collectively responsible for the killing of Jesus. A Biblical justification for the charge of Jewish deicide is derived from Matthew 27:24–25. Some rabbinical authorities, such as Ma ...
. , , - , Choc-ice , , Black people , A person who is figuratively 'black on the outside, white on the inside'. , , - , rowspan="2",
Cholo ''Cholo'' () is a loosely defined Spanish term that has had various meanings. Its origin is a somewhat derogatory term for people of mixed-blood heritage in the Spanish Empire in Latin America and its successor states as part of ''castas' ...
, Latin America, Southwestern United States ,
Indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
or Mestizo people , It may be derogatory depending on circumstances. , , - , Chile ,
Bolivian people Bolivians ( es, Bolivianos) are people identified with the country of Bolivia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Bolivians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, Peruvian people , , , - , Chug , Canada , Canadian aboriginal people , See
Chugach Chugach , Chugach Sugpiaq or Chugachigmiut is the name of an Alaska Native people in the region of the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound on the southern coast of Alaska. The Chugach people are an Alutiiq ( Pacific Eskimo) people who spea ...
for the native people. , , - ,
Chukhna Chukhna, Chukhnas, Chukhontsy (singular: Chukhonets (male), Chukhonka (female)) is an obsolete Russian term for some Finnic peoples: Finns, Estonians, Karelians, Ingrian Finns. It is thought to be a derivative from the ethnonym ''Chud''. The 1 ...
, Russia , Finnic people , , , - , Churka ( , Russia , Western and Central Asians , чурка slur for Central Asians and indigenous people of Caucasus. , , - , Ciapaty, ciapak , Poland , Middle Eastern,
North African North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...
, South Asian, and
Caucasian Caucasian may refer to: Anthropology *Anything from the Caucasus region ** ** ** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region * * * Languages * Northwest Caucasian l ...
people. , Derived from
chapati Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as IAST: ), also known as ''roti'', ''rotli'', ''safati'', ''shabaati'', ''phulka'', (in East Africa) ''chapo'', (in Marathi) ''poli'', and (in the Maldives) ...
. , , - , Cigányforma , Hungary (17th century) , old Hungarian slur against persons with the combination of black hair with brown eyes, regardless ethnicity , Its literal meaning is "Gypsy form" , , - , Cigány népek , Hungary (17th century) , old Hungarian slur against ethnic groups or nations where the combination of black hair with brown eyes are dominant , Its literal meaning is "Gypsy folks" , , - , Cioară ,
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
,
Romani people The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sig ...
and Black people , Means
crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifica ...
, , - , Cina / Cokin , Indonesia , Chinese people , Use in media has been banned since 2014 under Keppres no. 12/2014, replaced by ''Tiongkok'' (from Zhongguo 中国) or Tionghoa (from Zhonghua 中华). The President Decision (Keppres) even bans use of "China" in media and formal use. , , - , rowspan="3", Coconut , rowspan="3", United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia , Hispanics/Latinos, South/Southeast Asians , Named after the coconut, in the American sense, it derives from the fact that a coconut is brown on the outside and white on the inside. A person of Hispanic/Latino or South/Southeast Asian descent who is seen as being assimilated into white American culture. , , - , South Asians , A brown person of South Asian descent is perceived as fully assimilated into
Western culture Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man''. Based on the correlations of ideal Body proportions">human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''. image:Plato Pio-Cle ...
. , , - ,
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, , , - , Coño , Chile ,
Spanish people Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both i ...
, Used in to refer to Spanish people given the perception that they recurrently use of the vulgar interjection ''coño'' (lit. "cunt"). , , - ,
Coolie A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent. The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
, United States, Canada , Asian people, usually Chinese, and Indo-Caribbean people , Unskilled Asian laborer (originally used in the 19th century for Chinese railroad laborers). Possibly from Mandarin "苦力" ''ku li'' or Hindi ''kuli'', "day laborer." Also racial epithet for Indo-Caribbean people, especially in Guyana,
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
and South African Indians. , , - , rowspan="3", Coon , United States, Commonwealth , Black people , Slur popularized by
Coon song Coon songs were a genre of music that presented a stereotype of black people. They were popular in the United States and Australia from around 1880 to 1920, though the earliest such songs date from minstrel shows as far back as 1848, when they we ...
s played at
Minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spec ...
. Originally associated in the 1830s with the U.S. Whig Party who used a raccoon as their emblem. The Whigs were more tolerant towards blacks than other main parties. After the party folded the term "coon" evolved from political slang into a racial slur. Within African American communities, the word has been used to refer to a black person who is allegedly a "sellout". , , - , Australia , Aboriginal Australian , , , - , New Zealand , Pacific Islander , , , - ,
Coonass ''Coonass'', or ''Coon-ass'', is a derogatory term for a person of Cajun ethnicity. It's believed to originate from the French word "conasse" meaning a fool. Usage Socioeconomic factors appear to influence how Cajuns are likely to view the term: ...
, Coon-ass , United States ,
Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...
people , Not to be confused with the French '' connasse'', meaning cunt. , , - , Coreano , Chile , Chinese and Japanese people , , , - , Cracker , United States , White people, especially poor Appalachian and Southern people , First used in the 19th century. It is sometimes used specifically to refer to a native of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
or
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
. Also used in a more general sense in the United States to refer to white people disparagingly. , , - , Crow , United States , , , , - , Crucco (m.), crucca (f.) , Italy , German people , The name was firstly given during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
to the troops of the
Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
of Croatian and Slovenian ethnicity. Later the term was used to indicate the Germans. , , - , Curepí , Paraguay ,
Argentines Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...
, A common term used by people from Paraguay for people from Argentina, it means "pig's skin". , , - , Curry-muncher , Australia, Africa, New Zealand, United States, Canada ,
South Asian People South Asian ethnic groups are an ethnolinguistics, ethnolinguistic grouping of the diverse populations of South Asia, including the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. While Afghanistan is various ...
, , , - ,
Cushi The word Cushi or Kushi ( he, כּוּשִׁי colloquial: ) is generally used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a dark-skinned person of African descent, equivalent to Greek "'' Aithíops''". Etymology and biblical use The word is a derivation ...
, Kushi (כושי) , Israel , Dark-skinned people , Term originated from Kushite, referring to an individual from the Ancient
Kingdom of Kush The Kingdom of Kush (; Egyptian: 𓎡𓄿𓈙𓈉 ''kꜣš'', Assyrian: ''Kûsi'', in LXX grc, Κυς and Κυσι ; cop, ''Ecōš''; he, כּוּשׁ ''Kūš'') was an ancient kingdom in Nubia, centered along the Nile Valley in wh ...
. This was also mentioned in the
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' African descent. Originally merely descriptive, in present-day
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
it increasingly assumed a pejorative connotation and is regarded as insulting by Ethiopian Israelis; and by non-Jewish, Sub-Saharan African migrant workers and asylum seekers in Israel. , , - , Czarnuch (m.), czarnucha (f.) , Poland , Black people , ,


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}, lt, kacapas; self-deprecating usage by Russians , , - , Kebab , ,
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, usually of Arabian or Turkic descent. , , , - , Keko , Turkey ,
Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish languages *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern Kurdistan **Eastern Kurdistan **Northern Kurdistan **Western Kurdistan See also * Kurd (dis ...
men , Originally neutral Kurdish word meaning man, pal, or friend, but became derogatory among Turkish speakers. , , - ,
Keling Keling () or Kling is a derogatory term used in parts of Southeast Asia to denote a person originating from the Indian subcontinent. This includes both those from India and overseas Indians. In modern usage it is not commonly capitalised. Th ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Malaysians Malaysians are nationals and citizens who are identified with the country of Malaysia. Although citizens make up the majority of Malaysians, non-citizen residents and overseas Malaysians may also claim a Malaysian identity. The country is h ...
,
Singaporeans Singaporeans, or the Singaporean people, refers to citizens or people who identify with the sovereign island city-state of Singapore. Singapore is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual country. Singaporeans of Chinese, Malay, Indi ...
and Indonesians , In Indonesian, the term can be applied to any person with dark complexion, not only of Indian descent, but also to native Indonesians with darker complexion and Africans. The term is derived from the ancient
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n region of
Kalinga Kalinga may refer to: Geography, linguistics and/or ethnology * Kalinga (historical region), a historical region of India ** Kalinga (Mahabharata), an apocryphal kingdom mentioned in classical Indian literature ** Kalinga script, an ancient writ ...
, where many immigrants to countries further east originated. , , - , Kemosabe/Kemosahbee , United States , Native Americans , the term used by the fictional Native American sidekick Tonto as the "Native American" name for the Lone Ranger in the American television and radio programs
The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...
. , , - , Khach (), Khachik () , Russia , Peoples of the Caucasus, particularly
North Caucasus The North Caucasus, ( ady, Темыр Къафкъас, Temır Qafqas; kbd, Ишхъэрэ Къаукъаз, İṩxhərə Qauqaz; ce, Къилбаседа Кавказ, Q̇ilbaseda Kavkaz; , os, Цӕгат Кавказ, Cægat Kavkaz, inh, ...
and
Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diasp ...
, From Armenian խաչ ''khach,'' meaning cross (cf. khachkar). Khatchik is also an Armenian given name coming from the same root. Khachik is considered milder and happens to be used in neutral contexts. , , - , Kharkhuwa , India ,
Assamese people The Assamese people are a socio- ethnic linguistic identity that has been described at various times as nationalistic or micro-nationalistic. This group is often associated with the Assamese language, the easternmost Indo-Aryan language, a ...
, , , - ,
Khokhol Oseledets ( uk, оселедець, p=ɔsɛˈl ɛdɛt͡sʲ, IPA: sɛ'lɛdɛt͡sʲ, hohol in Russian or chub ( uk, чуб, translit=chub, p=t͡ɕup, IPA: ͡ɕup is a traditional Ukrainian style of haircut that features a long lock of hair le ...
() , Russia ,
Ukrainian people Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian. The majority of Ukrainians are Eastern Orth ...
, Derived from a term for a traditional Cossack-style haircut. , , - ,
Kike The word ''kike'' () is an ethnic slur for a Jew. Etymology The earliest recorded use of the word dates to the 1880s.
''or'' kyke , United States , Ashkenazi Jewish people , Possibly from ''kikel'',
Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...
for "circle". Immigrant Jews who couldn't read English often signed legal documents with an "O" (similar to an "X", to which Jews objected because "X" also symbolizes a cross). , , - ,
Kimchi ''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including '' gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), ...
, ,
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
people , , , - , Kıro , Turkey , Kurdish men , A word used to describe rude and hairy men, pejoratively refers to the Kurds. , , - , Knacker , Ireland ,
Irish Traveler Irish Travellers ( ga, an lucht siúil, meaning "the walking people"), also known as Pavees or Mincéirs (Shelta: Mincéirí), are a traditionally peripatetic indigenous ethno-cultural group in Ireland.''Questioning Gypsy identity: ethnic n ...
s , , , - , Kolorad , Ukraine , Pro-Russian separatists and Russian invaders , In reference to Russian St. George ribbon whose coloration resembles the stripes of the Colorado beetle. , , - , Krankie , England , Scottish people , , , - , Krakkemut , Denmark , Arabs, Middle Easterns , While originally being used against greenlanders, it is now mostly used against Middel Easterns and Arabs. The word comes from the greenlandic word "Qaqqamut" meaning "to the mountain, up the mountain", however, the danish people began to pick up the word as an aggressive slur, and used it against the greenlanders, and slowly, it became a slur against the more frequent Arab and Middle Eastern immigrants in Denmark. , , - ,
Kraut ''Kraut'' is a German word recorded in English from 1918 onwards as an ethnic slur for a German, particularly a German soldier during World War I and World War II. Its earlier meaning in English was as a synonym for sauerkraut, a traditional Cen ...
, United States, Canada, Commonwealth ,
German people , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
, Derived from
sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferm ...
, used most specifically during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
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Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
,
Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
, Russians , Historically a neutral designation for a person from Muscovy, currently refers to
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 '' Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
. , , - ,
Mountain Turk A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
, Turkey , Kurdish people , Former Turkish governments denied the
Kurds ug:كۇردلار Kurds ( ku, کورد ,Kurd, italic=yes, rtl=yes) or Kurdish people are an Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Ira ...
their own ethnicity, calling them Mountain Turks (''dağ Türkleri''). Germans also used this word to describe Albanians, now it refers to the earlier. , , - , Mulignan/Mulignon/Moolinyan , United States , Black people , Used by Italian-Americans. Deriving from "mulignana" the word for eggplant in some South Italian linguistic variants. Also called a mouli. , , - , Munt , Rhodesia, originally military , Black people, usually men , , , - , Mustalainen , Finland ,
Romani people The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sig ...
, , , - , Maxhup ,
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
,
Romani people The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sig ...
, Expression of contempt for someone, usually
Romani people The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sig ...
, , - , Mzungu , Eastern and Southern Africa,
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
, White people , May be both pejorative and affectionate, depending on usage ,


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Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, Jews , Soviet epithet, originated in the official parlance, as an accusation of lack of full allegiance to the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. , , - , Rosuke, Roske , Japanese , Russians , "suke/ske" is a Japanese general-purpose derogatory suffix. , , - ,
Rooinek The British diaspora in Africa is a population group broadly defined as English-speaking white Africans of mainly (but not only) British descent who live in or come from Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority live in South Africa and other Southern ...
, South Africa , British people ,
Slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-g ...
for a person of British descent. , , - , Roto ,
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
, Bolivia , Chilean people , Used to refer disdainfully. The term ''roto'' ("tattered") was first applied to Spanish conquerors in Chile, who were badly dressed and preferred military strength over intellect. , , - , Roundeye , English-speaking Asians , Non-Asians, especially White people , , , - , Russki, ruski (in Poland) , , Russians, from Russian Русский ''Russkiy'', meaning "Russian." , ,


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Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
er (
Thai Chinese Thai Chinese (also known as Chinese Thais, Sino-Thais), Thais of Chinese origin ( th, ชาวไทยเชื้อสายจีน; ''exonym and also domestically''), endonym Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย), are Chinese descenda ...
) , Central Thai people (usually include Mons) , literally: Siamese pig; Low and vile likes pigs, easy to fatten and slaughter, easy money. Mostly refers to Central Thais who migrated to Bangkok. , , - , Sideways vagina/pussy/cooter , , Asian women, particularly Chinese women. , , , - , Skinny , United States , Somali people , A term most commonly used for Somali militia fighters , , - , Skopianoi , Greece ,
Ethnic Macedonians Macedonians ( mk, Македонци, Makedonci) are a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group native to the region of Macedonia in Southeast Europe. They speak Macedonian, a South Slavic language. The large majority of Macedonians identi ...
, derived from
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and List of cities in North Macedonia by population, largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Sk ...
, the capital city of North Macedonia. , , - , Skip, Skippy , Australia , An Australian, especially one of British descent , Derived from the children's television series '' Skippy the Bush Kangaroo''. , , - , Skævøjet , Denmark , East Asian people , Skævøjet, literally meaning "with crooked eyes", is a reference to their appearance. , , - , Slant, slant–eye , , East Asian people , In reference to the appearance of the eyes. , , - , Slope, slopehead, slopy, slopey, sloper , Australia, United Kingdom, and United States , Asian people (especially Vietnamese in Australia; especially Chinese in America) , Also slant, slant–eye. , , - ,
Snowflake A snowflake is a single ice crystal that has achieved a sufficient size, and may have amalgamated with others, which falls through the Earth's atmosphere as snow.Knight, C.; Knight, N. (1973). Snow crystals. Scientific American, vol. 228, no. ...
, United States , White people , Mostly used in this context in the 19th and 20th centuries , , - , Smoked Irish/Smoked Irishman , United States , Black people , a 19th-century term intended to insult both blacks and Irish but used primarily for black people. , , - , Somdeang (โสมแดง) , Thailand , North Koreans , literally: red ginseng. (see also ''Somkhao'') , , - , Somkhao (โสมขาว) , Thailand , South Koreans , literally: white ginseng. (see also ''Somdeang'') , , - , Soosmar-khor: (سوسمار خور) , Persia , Arabian people , Persian for "lizard eater," referring to the eating of lizards in Arab cuisine. , , - , Sooty , United States , Black people , Originated in the 1950s. , , - , Southern Faerie, Southern Fairy , United Kingdom , Southern English people , Used in the North of England to refer to someone from the South, alluding to their supposed mollycoddled ways. (see also ''Northern Monkey'') , , - , Soutpiel , South Africa , White
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
speakers , an
Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
term abbreviated as "Soutie" and translates as "Salt-penis," it derives from the Boer Wars where it was said that British soldiers had one foot in the United Kingdom, one foot in South Africa, and their penis dangled in the Atlantic Ocean (filled with
saltwater Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
). , , - , Spade , , Black people , Recorded since 1928 (
OED The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
), from the playing cards suit. , , - , Spearchucker , , Africans, African Americans , Derived from the idea that people of African descent were primitive. , , - ,
Spic ''Spic'' (also spelled ''spick'') is an ethnic slur used in the United States for people from Latin American countries and states. Etymology Some sources from the United States believe that the word ''spic'' is a play on a Spanish-accented pron ...
, spick, spik, spig, or spigotty , United States , Hispanic people , First recorded use in 1915. Believed to be a play on a Spanish-accented pronunciation of the English word ''speak''. May apply to Spanish speakers in general. , Interactive Dictionary of Language. Accessed 12 April 2007. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Accessed 12 April 2007.Santiago, Esmeralda. When I Was Puerto Rican. New York: Vintage Books, 1993. , - , Spook , , Black people , Attested from the 1940s. , , - , Squarehead , , Nordic people, such as
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
ns or Germans. , Refers to either the stereotyped shape of their heads, or to the shape of the Stahlhelm M1916 steel helmet, or to its owner's stubbornness (like a block of wood). , , - ,
Squaw The English word ''squaw'' is an ethnic and sexual slur, historically used for Indigenous North American women. Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered derogatory, misogynist, and racist.King, C. Richard,De/Sc ...
, United States and Canada , Native American women , Derived from lower East Coast Algonquian (
Massachusett The Massachusett were a Native American tribe from the region in and around present-day Greater Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name comes from the Massachusett language term for "At the Great Hill," referring to the Blue Hills ...
: ''ussqua''), which originally meant "young woman". , , - , Swamp Guinea , , Italian people , , , - , Szkop, skopčák , Poland, Czech Republic , German people , The Polish term was particularly often used for
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
soldiers during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. , , - , Szwab , Poland , German people , Derived from Swabia. See also: Fritz ,


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See also

* :Sex- and gender-related slurs *
Fighting words Fighting words are written or spoken words intended to incite hatred or violence from their target. Specific definitions, freedoms, and limitations of fighting words vary by jurisdiction. The term ''fighting words'' is also used in a general sens ...
* Graphic pejoratives in written Chinese * Hate speech * List of disability-related terms with negative connotations * List of ethnic group names used as insults *
List of ethnic slurs by ethnicity This list of ethnic slurs and epithets is sorted into categories that can defined by race, ethnicity, or nationality. Broader ethnic categories African ; Af : (Rhodesia) African to a white Rhodesian (Rhodie). Livingstone, Douglas. 1986. ''Dru ...
*
List of LGBT slang terms LGBT slang, LGBT speak, or gay slang is a set of English slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBT people. It has been used in various languages since the early 20th century as a means by which members of the LGBT community identify themselves ...
*
List of regional nicknames The list of regional nicknames used in English language includes nicknames for people based on their locality of origin (birthplace, place of permanent residence, or family roots). Nicknames based on the country (or larger geopolitical area) o ...
* List of religious slurs *
List of terms used for Germans There are many terms for the Germans. In English the demonym, or noun, is German. During the early Renaissance, "German" implied that the person spoke German as a native language. Until the German unification, people living in what is now Germ ...
*
Lists of pejorative terms for people Lists of pejorative terms for people include: * List of ethnic slurs ** List of ethnic slurs and epithets by ethnicity ** List of common nouns derived from ethnic group names * List of religious slurs * A list of LGBT slang, including LGBT-related ...
*
Term of disparagement A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
*
Xenophobia Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...
* Xenophobia in the United States *
Xenophobia and racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...
* wikt:English ethnic slurs * Wiktionary category: English derogatory terms * wikt:Appendix:English terms for outsiders


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* Burchfield, Robert. "Dictionaries and Ethnic Sensibilities." In ''The State of the Language'', ed. Leonard Michaels and Christopher Ricks, University of California Press, 1980, pp. 15–23. * Croom, Adam M
"Racial Epithets: What We Say and Mean by Them"
''Dialogue'' 51 (1):34–45 (2008) * Henderson, Anita. "What's in a Slur?" ''American Speech'', Volume 78, Number 1, Spring 2003, pp. 52–74 in
Project MUSE Project MUSE, a non-profit collaboration between libraries and publishers, is an online database of peer-reviewed academic journals and electronic books. Project MUSE contains digital humanities and social science content from over 250 univers ...
* Kennedy, Randall. ''Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word'' (Pantheon, 2002) * Mencken, H. L. "Designations for Colored Folk." ''American Speech'', 1944. 19: 161–74. * Wachal, Robert S. "Taboo and Not Taboo: That Is the Question." ''American Speech'', 2002. vol. 77: 195–206.


Dictionaries

* Erin McKean, ed. ''The New Oxford American Dictionary'', second edition. (Oxford University Press, 2005) * Eric Partridge, ''A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English'' (2002) * John A. Simpson, ''Oxford English Dictionary Additions Series''. * Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, ed. ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary''. (Oxford University Press, 2004) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ethnic slurs, List of
Ethnic Slurs The following is a list of ethnic slurs or ethnophaulisms or ethnic epithets that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or racial group or to refer to them in a derogatory, pejorative, or oth ...
Profanity
Ethnic slurs The following is a list of ethnic slurs or ethnophaulisms or ethnic epithets that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or racial group or to refer to them in a derogatory, pejorative, or oth ...
Lists of pejorative terms for people