wakang
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Alternative forms
- kwakang
- gwakang
Etymology
From ellipsis of earlier limericks, such as Insik wakang, kaon, kalibang (literally “Chinese (laborer), eat, and shit!”)[1] or Insek kwakang baboy tikangkang (literally “Chinese (laborer), pig (with) legs up in the air!”), which were old derogatory visayan limericks repeatedly sang by children on the streets during the late 1800s. The word itself in the limericks is likely originally borrowed from Hokkien, possibly 我工 (góa kang, “I work”) or 我空 (óa-khàng!, “my heavens!; OMG!; wow! (expletive)”) through wakanga, as per Wolff (1972) who describes it similar to ching chong. Compare with Tagalog beho.
Interjection
wákang!
Noun
wakang
- (offensive, ethnic slur) a person with Chinese-like facial features; a Chinese person or Filipino of Chinese descent
Usage notes
- 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.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- wákang insik, tsíbay!
See also
References
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