List of ethnic slurs

The following is a list of ethnic slurs that are, or have been, used to refer to members of a given ethnicity (or, in some cases, nationality or religion) in a derogatory or pejorative manner. The term is listed, followed by its primary user(s) and a definition.

Not all terms on the list are considered equally offensive. Many of these terms are used more widely than would be imagined based on their "definition", for example, Chink can be used to refer to any Asian person. The key here is that the person using the slur cares so little about the target, that the person's actual background is irrelevant. The motivation for using an ethnic slur is often racism.

It is not uncommon for minority groups to adopt an originally disparaging term and use it of themselves, as an act of self-assertion. However, they may be extremely offended if it is used by others; nigger is an extreme example.

Numbers

51st Stater - Canadians, according to some from the United States

A

Abba-Dabba - from the film Betrayed, referring to Arabs and the United Arab Emirates city of Abu Dhabi
Abo - Australia, Australian aboriginal
Adolf - Germans, referring to Adolf Hitler
African queen - U.K., a black gay male
Ahab - whites, from Moby Dick
Ainu - Japanese people, originally referring to a valid minority (the Ainu) of Japan, now sometimes used as a derogatory term for any Asian, emphasizing barbarism
Albino - whites (see albino)
Ame-koh - Americans, used in Japan
Ami - Americans, originating in Germany from Scheiss-Ami
Amo - the Amish
Angie - Anglophones in Canada, used in Quebec
Ape Candy - Whites who date blacks.
apple - U.S., a black person (apples hang from trees) cf. windchime
Apu - U.S., popularized by the character of the same name from The Simpsons, referring to Indians
A-rab - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent (pronounced as the letter "A" followed by "rab" as in rabbit.)
Armo - Armenians
Aunt Jemima, U.S. Blacks, a black woman who "kisses up" to whites, a "sellout", cf. Uncle Tom
Ay-rab - U.S., variant spelling of A-rab.

B

Babuska - Eastern Europeans, deriving from the head covering worn by Ukrainian women
Bagel dog - Jews, referring to traditional food product: bagels
Bahadur - Nepali servants
Bamboo coon - Chinese people
banana - Canada, U.S., an Asian who is "yellow on the outside, white on the inside"
barbarian - Ancient Roman, a non-Roman European (especially the Germanic tribes); China, a person of a Mongolian tribe
beaner - U.S., Chicanos or Latinos in general
Bigger Thomas - U.S. Blacks, slang for a bad nigger
black pillar box - U.K., a muslim woman who wears a burka
black velvet - Australia, an Aboriginal prostitute
blackhead - U.K., an Arab
boat niggers - U.S., Cuban people
bog trotter - UK, Irish people
bolillo - Mexico, white people (bolillo is a white bread roll).
boofer - Hawaii, Polynesian word equivalent to nigger
boong - Australia, Australian aboriginal
bounty bar - U.S., a black person who acts like a white person
boy - Southern U.S. whites, a black man
bule - Indonesian term for a white person, roughly translates as 'pigskin'.
beaner / bean-eater - Western U.S., someone of Mexican descent
brown sugar - U.S./U.K., a black woman

C

cafflick - Scotland, a Catholic

camel jockey - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent

Canuck - U.S., a Canadian national
caphead - Australia, a Jewish man
cardboard nigger - US Blacks, a black person "selling out" to the whites or not acting "black"
Carlton - U.S., refers to Carlton Banks: a black character from the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" who "acted white".
Casper the Unfriendly Ghost - U.S. Asians, A naughty white person.
cave bitch - U.S., from an Ice Cube song about white women
charlie - U.S., a Vietnamese person (shortened from radio code for the Vietcong (V.C.): "Victor Charlie")
ching chong - Australia, someone of Chinese descent
Chink - U.S./U.K., someone of Chinese descent
chocolate drop - U.K., a black person
chogee - Australia, someone of Asian descent
chongo/chango - (also "mono") U.S. hispanics, a black person ("chongo/chango" is Spanish for "monkey")
chowie - U.K./Australia, someone of Asian descent
Christ-killer - used in some Christian cultures, a Jewish person
clog - used in some cultures, a Dutch person (from their supposed wearing of clogs)
Cochise - U.S., a Native American
coco - U.K., a black person
coconut - U.S./U.K./Australia, a black person who acts like a white (a coconut is dark on the outside but white on the inside)
coon - U.S./U.K./Australia, a black person
cockroach - U.S., a Mexican immigrant
cosmopolite - Soviet Union, a jew
cotton picker - U.S., a black person
cracker - U.S., a white person from the Southern U.S.
cuff - U.S., a black person

D

dago - (also "dag") U.S., someone of Italian descent (originally applied to Spanish, Portuguese or Italian sailors)

Dalit - India, person who belongs to lower caste
darkie - various, someone with dark-colored skin (not used for Hispanics or Asians)
deicide - "godkiller", synonym of Christ-killer.
didicoy - UK, gipsy
dinge - US, a black person
dog muncher - U.S., someone of Korean descent
Dot-head - U.S., someone of southeast Asian descent (from the Hindu practice of wearing bindis)
double Dutch / Dutch courage - U.S./U.K., inferior attributes for Dutch people
dune coon - US, someone of Middle Eastern descent

E

egg - a white person who 'acts' like an Asian (white on the outside, yellow on the inside)

eggplant - North-eastern U.S., a black person

Eskimo - a Inuit
esse - U.S., someone of Hispanic descent
Eurotrash - U.S./U.K., a continental European national
Eyetie / Eye-talian - U.S., someone of Italian descent

F

fisheyes - U.S. Asians, a white person.

fob - U.S., a recent Asian immigrant (from Fresh Off the Boat)

flattie U.K. traveller community, someone of fixed abode
flip - U.S., someone of Filipino descent
franchute - Spain, a French national
Fritz - U.K., a German
frog - U.S./U.K., a French national
fuckoff - France, a British youth

G

gabacho - Spain, a French national.

gachup�n - Central America, a Spaniard

gadjo/gadji' - Gypsy, a non-Gypsy male/female

gaijin - Japan, any non-Japanese person

gavacho - Mexico, a white person. See gabacho.

ghetto monkey - U.S., a black person

ghost - China (Qing Dynasty), a foreigner, esp. a Japanese person (white people were "ghosts from the seas")

ghostbuster - an asian who beats up on whites.

gin - Australia - an Aboriginal woman

goat roper - U.S. southwest, white people (mostly hicks and/or suburban cowboys)

godo - Canary Islands, "Goth", a Peninsular Spaniard.
gook - U.S. since Korean War, usually applied to an Asian person (It comes from "Mi Guk?" ("American?" in Korean) which was mistaken by G.I.'s as "Me Gook!")
goomba - various groups, An Italian person
goy - Jews, a non-Jew or a Jew that does not practice Judaism
greaser - U.S., someone of Latin American descent, esp. Mexican
gringo - Latin America and Spain: Non-Hispanic U.S. national. For brazilians, any foreigner.
gubba - Australia - Aboriginal term for white people.
guido - US, someone of Italian descent (a genuine Italian first name)
guinea - U.S., someone of Italian descent
gwailo or gweilo - Cantonese, see ghost
'''Gypsy - a Sinti or Roma

H

habib - U.S., someone of Southeast Asian descent

hajji - an Iraqi, Arab, Muslim, or occasionally other nonwhite, used by US occupation forces; one soldier notably wrote "Hodgie killer" on his footlocker. See Hajj for non-offensive usage.
Hankee Yankee - US Asians, a white southerner.
haole - native Hawaiians, a non-native white person
heeb - U.S., a Jewish person (Short for Hebrew)
hillbilly - U.S., a rural white person, esp. one from Appalachia, can be used jokingly unlike some terms
honger - North America, a person from Hong Kong
honky - U.S. blacks, a white person
Hymie - U.S. blacks, a Jewish person, especially from New York City ("Hymietown")
hun - Allies in WWI, a German soldier; also Irish nationalists, a British nationalist. See Huns for non-offensive usage.
hunkie - U.S., someone of hungarian descent

I

ice mutant - black supremacists, a white person

Injun - a Native American, from "Indian"

J

Jap - U.S./U.K., someone of Japanese descent
JAP - U.S., Jewish women (Jewish American Princess)/Aust. spoilt jewish adolescants (Jewish American Prince or Princess)
Jawa - U.S., sand people, someone of Middle-Eastern descent. see also sand monkey
Jerry - U.S., a German national
jigaboo - U.S., a black person
Jock - UK, Scottish person
jungle bunny - U.S. whites, a black person

K

kaffir - South African whites, a black person

kaffir - Arabic word used in the Islamic world, a non-believer, atheist, or pagan. Jews and Christians would not be considered a kaffir. The word does not count as a slur, it has the same negative connotations as a non-believer

kike - U.S., a Jewish person

Kraut - U.S./U.K., a German national

L

limey - U.S., a British national - British sailors ate limes to prevent scurvy
long nose - China, a person of European descent

M

mall honky - an indiscriminate white consumer.

maketo - Basque Country, a Spaniard
Mau-mau - U.S./U.K., a black activist
mayate - U.S. hispanics, Spanish equivalent of nigger
mick - U.S., a person of Irish descent (from the common surname form McXxxx)
moon cricket - U.S., a black person
moro, moraco - Spain, a Moor, but see Moro.
mud person - U.S. white supremacists, a non-white person (usually seen in the plural form as mud people)
munt - South Africa, a black person

N

Naga - U.S., a black person (Naga stands for North American Ground Ape, used by the LAPD during the Watts riot in LA)

Nazi - North America, Europe, etc, a German person
Newfie - Canada, a person from Newfoundland, can be used as a term of pride
nigger - U.S./U.K., a black person (also "niggra," southern U.S. pronunciation; "nigga," Ebonics); New Zealand, a Maori
night fighter - U.S., a black person
nig-nog - U.K., a black person (adapted from niknok, see below)
niknok - Netherlands, Dutch word equivalent to nigger
ninny - U.S., a black person (short for pickaninnie)
Nip - U.S., someone of Japanese descent (from Nippon, an Anglicization of the Japanese name for Japan)
Nordstrom Rack - White women with fake breasts.

O

oreo - U.S., someone of black and white descent (or a black person who "acts white" - see Carlton)
oven dodger - Australia, a Jewish person

P

Paddy - U.S., an Irishman (from the popular Irish diminutive of "Patrick")
Papist - Protestants, a Roman Catholic person
Pakeha - (Maori) A new Zealander of European descent
Paki - U.K., a Pakistani (or other South Asian)
payo - Spain, a non-Gypsy
pickaninnie - UK/US, black child
Polack - U.S., a person of Polish descent
pom - Australia/New Zealand/South Africa, a British national
pongo - U.K., a black person
porch honky - U.S. lazy white person
porch monkey - U.S., a black person
P.R. - U.S., Puerto Rican
prairie nigger - U.S., a Native American
prod - Scotland, a Protestant

Q

[insert item]

R

raghead - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent

raton - France, a North African Muslim (from the French genitive for "rat")

redneck - U.S., an rural, unrefined white person (esp. a person from a southern state)
roast beef or rosbif - France, a British person
rock ape - U.K./Australia, a black person
rock spider - English-speaking South Africans, an Afrikaner (although in Australia, rock spider means child molester)
rootless cosmopolitan (Russian: bezrodnyj kosmopolit) - Soviet Union (late Stalin era, 1948-1953), a Jew
round eye - Asia, a white person
round hair - U.S., a black person
rug pilot - U.S., a person of Middle Eastern descent (from the image of the flying carpet)
Russki - U.S., a Russian national

S

sambo - U.K., a black person

sand monkey - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent

sand Nazi - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent

sand nigger - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent

sars - U.S., person of asian descent (presumably from the asian origin of the illness SARS).
sheister [shyster] - U.S., a Jew [German origin]
sheepfucker, sheepscrewer, sheepshagger and other variations on this theme - England, a Welshman; Australia, a New Zealander; USA, a Scot; etc.)
shit-kicker - U.S., a white person from the southwest (ex: Oklahoma)
Skunk - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent
Skip - Australian - a white Australian of British descent - from "Skippy the Bush Kangaroo"
slant-eye - U.S., a person of Asian descent
slapface - Australia, a person of Asian descent
slope - a person of Asian descent
snowback - U.S., a Canadian refugee who flees his/her Motherland for the warm climate of Florida.
Space Ghost - U.S. Asians, A white person perceived to have limited mental capacity. From a superhero character.
spic - U.S., a person of Hispanic descent
spook - U.S. whites, a black person
spear-chucker - U.S. whites, a black person
squarehead - U.K., a German
sudaca - Spain, a Latin American, a play on sudamericano and sudar (to sweat)
surrender monkey - U.S., a French person
swamp honky - U.S. southwest, similar to white trash - white residents around the Louisiana/Texas border (also "swamp trash")

T

taffy - U.K., a Welsh person
terrier - U.S., an Irish laborer
Tonto - U.S., a Native American (refers to the sidekick on "The Lone Ranger")
towelhead - U.S., someone of Middle-eastern descent
trailer trash - U.S., a rural white person living in a trailer park; cf. white trash
twinkie - U.S./Canada, an Asian person who is "yellow on the outside, white on the inside" (similar to 'banana' above)

U

Uncle Tom - U.S. blacks, term for someone who panders to white people; a "sellout" (taken from Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin")

V

[insert item]

W

Walpeople - U.S., working-class whites...from whites perceived to shop at Walmart.

welfare monkey - U.S., a black person

wetback - U.S., an illegal Mexican immigrant

White Devil - U.S., (originated with Nation of Islam) a white person

whitey - U.S., a white person

white trash, also poor white trash - U.S., a rural white person
wigger - U.S., a white person who 'acts' black
windchime - U.S., a black person (windchimes are hung out in the open) cf. apple
wog - U.K., a dark-skinned national of a Colonial British colony; also Australia, a Meditaranean-European (especially Greek or Italian) person (or any foreigner)
wop - U.S., an Italian immigrant (click here for etymology, although folk etymology gives the origin as: WithOut Passport)

XYZ

Yank/Yankee - Southern U.S., a person from the North-Eastern USA; also non-USA, an American national
yard ape - U.S., a black person; cf. porch monkey
yellow peril - Australia, an Asian immigrant (also used among Melburnians of all descent to refer to the modern-art sculpture known as "Vault")
yid - U.K., A Jewish person
yo-yo - U.S., a black person (yo-yo's hang from strings) cf. windchime
zig - U.S., a black person (short for zigaboo)

External links

Racial slur Database : RSDB