Slurs Between Korea, Japan and China: Etymology and History
Compiled for education — not for use
This article is written for educational and academic purposes only. The terms listed here are slurs used to denigrate people of other nationalities or ethnicities, and should never be used in actual conversation or writing. Understanding their origins is the first step toward understanding why these expressions are harmful.
🇰🇷 Korean slurs for Japanese people
쪽바리 (Jjokbari)
The most common Korean slur for Japanese people. It references traditional Japanese footwear (geta, zori) that splits between the big toe and second toe — mocking the 'split foot.' Widely used since the Japanese colonial period.
왜놈 (Waenom)
'倭 (Wa/Wae)' was the ancient Chinese character for Japan, carrying connotations of 'small' or 'dwarf.' It appears in 임진왜란 (Imjin War). Adding '놈 (guy/bastard)' makes it an explicit slur.
일뽕 (Ilppong)
A portmanteau of '일본 (Japan)' and '뽕 (a slang for drug addiction).' Mocks people who are uncritically obsessed with Japanese culture.
섬나라 원숭이 (Island country monkey)
Combines Japan's island geography with the image of Japanese macaques.
원종단 (猿終團, Wonjongdan)
A coined term meaning 'the monkey group meets its end.' Derived from online communities that liken Japanese people to monkeys. Primarily used in online anti-Japanese communities since the 2000s.
🇯🇵 Japanese slurs for Korean people
チョン (Chon)
A Japanese slur for Koreans. The etymology is debated — possibly a contraction of '朝鮮 (Chōsen/Joseon),' or from an old Japanese word meaning 'fool.' Frequently appears online.
朝鮮人 (Chōsenjin)
Originally a neutral word meaning 'person from Joseon/Korea,' but in Japan it carries strong discriminatory connotations from the colonial era. Most Koreans find it offensive regardless of context. When '朝鮮人' is used deliberately instead of the neutral '韓国人 (Kankokujin),' it is generally understood as intentionally derogatory.
半島人 (Hantōjin)
Means 'peninsula person.' Uses the geographic feature of the Korean Peninsula to label Koreans. Used during the colonial era to denigrate people from Joseon. Like 朝鮮人, not an explicit slur on its own, but functions as a derogatory label in historical context.
バカチョンカメラ (Baka-chon camera)
Meaning 'a camera even an idiot or a Chon can use' — referring to point-and-shoot cameras. Contains double discrimination. Rarely used today.
キムチ野郎 (Kimchi yarō)
Uses Korea's representative food (kimchi) as a derogatory label. A typical pattern of weaponizing food culture.
🇰🇷 Korean slurs for Chinese people
짱깨 (Jjanggae)
The most common Korean slur for Chinese people. Likely derived from Chinese '掌柜 (zhǎngguì, shopkeeper)' — originally used to address Chinese restaurant owners in Korea, it evolved into a slur.
되놈 (Dwenom)
Combines '되 (胡, barbarian)' with '놈 (guy/bastard).' Used since the Joseon dynasty to denigrate Chinese or northern nomadic peoples.
🇨🇳 Chinese slurs for Korean people
棒子 (Bàngzi)
A Chinese slur for Koreans. The etymology is debated — one theory links it to Korean police in Manchukuo who carried clubs (棒).
高丽棒子 (Gāolí bàngzi)
Adds the historical name '高丽 (Goryeo)' to 棒子. The most common anti-Korean slur on Chinese internet.
思密达 (Sīmìdá)
A phonetic rendering of the Korean sentence-ending '~습니다 (-sumnida).' Not inherently a slur, but used mockingly to caricature Korean speech patterns.
🇨🇳 Chinese slurs for Japanese people
鬼子 (Guǐzi)
Means 'demon/devil.' '日本鬼子 (Rìběn guǐzi)' has been the primary anti-Japanese expression since the Second Sino-Japanese War. Ubiquitous in Chinese anti-Japanese war dramas.
小日本 (Xiǎo Rìběn)
Means 'Little Japan.' Mocks Japan's land area or physical stature. Extremely common on Chinese internet.
🇯🇵 Japanese slurs for Chinese people
支那 / シナ (Shina)
An old term for China sharing the same etymology as 'China' (from 秦, Qin). However, Japan deliberately used it to denigrate China during the Sino-Japanese Wars, so it is now considered a slur. The Chinese government officially requested Japan stop using the term.
支那人 (Shinajin)
Adding '人 (person)' to 支那. Was an official term in pre-war Japan but is now recognized as discriminatory.
チャンコロ (Chankoro)
A Japanese slang slur for Chinese people. Possibly derived from a distortion of the Chinese pronunciation of '中国人.' Primarily used by the wartime generation; now recognized as a severe slur.
Common patterns
Slurs share recurring patterns across all three countries:
Physical features: 쪽바리 (foot shape), monkey references
Food culture: キムチ野郎 — weaponizing the other country's cuisine
Historical relations: 왜놈 (倭), 되놈 (胡), 棒子 — historical labels that solidified into slurs
Linguistic mockery: 思密达 — mocking the other language's characteristics
Most of these expressions were created or reinforced during periods of war, colonial rule, or ethnic conflict. Understanding the historical context reveals why these are not just 'insults' but language of structural discrimination.
Bonus: Food Name + Gender Combo Pattern
Distinct from inter-country slurs, but as an extension of the pattern of classifying people by food, internet communities have coined these terms.
스시남 / 스시녀 (Sushi-nam / Sushi-nyeo)
Korean internet terms for Japanese men/women. Carries stereotypes like 'Japanese men are gentle' or 'Japanese women are submissive.' Not a direct insult, but reducing people of another country to a food name is structurally derogatory. Japanese people are largely unaware of these terms, but would likely find them offensive if explained.
김치남 / 김치녀 (Kimchi-nam / Kimchi-nyeo)
Koreans self-deprecating about Korean men/women — a gender conflict term, different from inter-country slurs. Interestingly shares the 'kimchi' element with Japan's 'キムチ野郎' — the same food serves as self-mockery domestically and as a slur internationally.
寿司女 / 寿司男 (Sushi-onna / Sushi-otoko)
These terms essentially don't exist within Japan. They only appear occasionally as reverse-imports from Korean communities. Japanese people don't use them among themselves.
What this pattern reveals: labeling people by their country's signature food — whether in a seemingly positive context ('sushi-nyeo are pretty') or negative ('キムチ野郎') — fundamentally reduces people to a single image.
⚠️ Disclaimer
The terms in this article are documented for educational and academic purposes only. Using these expressions in actual conversation, social media, or comments can cause deep harm and may be subject to legal consequences.
Key Points
Most slurs were created or reinforced during periods of war and colonial rule
Patterns of using physical traits, food, history, and language as tools of denigration are common across all three countries
Knowing the etymology helps understand why these expressions are problematic and what discriminatory structures they reflect
Educational understanding and actual usage are entirely different — these terms should never be used