kwakang
Cebuano
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom Ellipsis of Insek kwakang baboy tikangkang (literally “Chinese (laborer), I work and pose like a pig!”) or Ellipsis of Insik wakang, kaon, kalibang (literally “Chinese (laborer), I work, eat, and shit!”),[1] which were old derogatory visayan limericks repeatedly sang by children on the streets during the late 1800s. The word itself in the limericks is originally borrowed from Hokkien 我工 (guá kang, “I work”). The first letter might be influenced from the last letter of Insik from the limericks. Compare with Tagalog beho.
Pronunciation
edit- Hyphenation: kwa‧kang
Interjection
editkwákang
- (ethnic slur, slang, derogatory, offensive) Expression used to tease Chinese people or Filipinos of Chinese descent.
Noun
editkwakang
- (offensive, ethnic slur) a person with Chinese-like facial features; a Chinese person or Filipino of Chinese descent
Usage notes
edit- Usage of the term is usually particularly offensive or provocative as a derogatory ethnic slur from its crude or pejorative connotations in the past, especially to Chinese Filipinos.