Definition

1. 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

1. (slang) a disparaging term for an Asian person (especially for North Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War)
2. any thick, viscous matter