Gook
/ɡuːk/noun
An offensive slur historically used by some English speakers for people of East or Southeast Asian origin; it can also mean a sticky or viscous substance in informal usage.
Did you know?The slur was widely recorded among U.S. military personnel during the early twentieth century, especially in contexts involving the Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam, but no single origin is proven.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
gook
“An obscure slang term; the earliest precise origin of the ethnic slur is uncertain.”
1900s–1910s
American English
gook
“A military slang label associated with people encountered by U.S. forces in the Philippines and elsewhere in Asia.”
1940s
American English
gook
“A clearly established derogatory term for East and Southeast Asian people, particularly in wartime usage.”
1950s–1970s
American English
gook
“A widely used racial slur in U.S. military and popular speech during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.”
Modern English
English
gook
“Recognized primarily as an offensive ethnic slur; a separate informal sense meaning sticky material may be related to goo.”