gook
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun (slang, offensive):
- A highly offensive and derogatory term used as a racial slur, primarily against people of East Asian or Southeast Asian descent. Its use is considered extremely disrespectful and racist.
- (Informal) Any thick, slimy, or sticky substance.
Usage Examples
- Noun (slang, offensive):
- Using that word to refer to a person is a hateful and unacceptable slur.
- The term has a deeply painful history, particularly associated with the dehumanization of Asian people during wartime.
- Noun (informal, for substance):
- After the engine overheated, there was black gook all over the parts.
- I need to clean this sticky gook off my hands.
Advanced Usage
- The offensive usage is historically documented, especially in a military context, but its application is always derogatory and racist. It should never be used to describe a person.
- The informal usage for a substance is casual and can sometimes sound childish or crude. More precise terms like "sludge," "gunk," or "viscous fluid" are often preferred.
Variants and Related Words
- Gooky (adjective): Having the characteristics of gook; thick and sticky.
- The gooky mixture was hard to wash off.
Synonyms
- For the substance meaning: gunk, sludge, ooze, muck, glop.
- For the offensive slur: There are no acceptable synonyms, as the term itself is a racial epithet.
Important Note on Usage
CRITICAL: The primary definition of 'gook' as a term for a person is a severe racial slur. Its use is universally condemned and can cause profound offense and harm. It should be avoided entirely in speech and writing. The secondary, informal meaning for a substance is separate but is still informal and not appropriate for formal contexts. Language learners must understand the extreme offensiveness of the first meaning.
Noun
- (slang) a disparaging term for an Asian person (especially for North Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War)
- any thick, viscous matter