高麗棒子

See also: 高丽棒子

Chinese

Etymology

The full term is a compound of 高麗 and the slur 棒子.

A pejorative ethnonym “(Korean) person” likely arose via folk reanalysis and sound substitution from terms for attendants/menials:

  • Compare 房子 (fángzi) “attendant; service staff” as used in Goryeo/Joseon for embassy/palace service:
房子，使館之給役者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
房子，使馆之给役者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 宣和奉使高麗圖經
Fángzǐ, shǐguǎn zhī gěiyì zhě yě. [Pinyin]
‘Fangzi’ are the attendants provided by the embassy (envoys’) guesthouse.
房子者,侍女之婢也。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
From: 朝鮮王朝實錄
Fángzǐ zhě, shìnǚ zhī bì yě. [Pinyin]
A ‘fangzi’ is the maidservant of a lady‑in‑waiting.
  • Also compare 幫子／帮子 (bāngzi) “helper; runner”:
貴邦(朝鮮)水兵，作爲天兵幫子,互相倚勢，則庶幾有所恃矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
贵邦(朝鲜)水兵，作为天兵帮子,互相倚势，则庶几有所恃矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 朝鮮王朝實錄
Guì bāng (cháoxiān) shuǐbīng, zuòwèi tiānbīng bāngzǐ, hùxiàng yǐ shì, zé shù jǐ yǒu suǒ shì yǐ. [Pinyin]
If the sailors of your country (Joseon) serve as helpers to the ‘Heavenly Troops’ (the Ming army) and support one another, they might thereby have something to rely on.

These orally similar forms (bang‑) were later written as 棒子 (bàngzi)—perhaps partly due to sound confusion with 幫子／帮子 (bāngzi)/房子 (fángzi)—and then extended from “Korean attendants” to a general slur for Koreans. Early written attestations include 《遼左見聞錄》(1722) :

朝鮮貢使從者之外，其奔走服役者謂之「棒子」。其國婦女有淫行，即没入為官妓，所生之子曰「棒子」，不齒於齊民。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
朝鲜贡使从者之外，其奔走服役者谓之「棒子」。其国妇女有淫行，即没入为官妓，所生之子曰「棒子」，不齿于齐民。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 遼左見聞録
Cháoxiān gòngshǐ cóngzhě zhī wài, qí bēnzǒu fúyì zhě wèi zhī “bàngzǐ”. Qí guó fùnǚ yǒu yínxíng, jí méirù wèi guānjì, suǒ shēng zhī zǐ yuē “bàngzǐ”, bùchǐ yú qímín. [Pinyin]
Apart from the envoys’ retainers, those who run errands and perform service are called ‘bangzi’. Women in that country who commit sexual misconduct are confiscated and made government courtesans; the children they bear are called ‘bangzi’ and are not counted among the common people.

and 《皇清職貢圖》(1761):

朝鮮國民人俗呼為高麗棒子 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
朝鲜国民人俗呼为高丽棒子 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 皇清職貢圖
cháoxiān guómín rén sú hū wèi gāolì bàngzǐ [Pinyin]
The people of the kingdom of Joseon are colloquially called ‘Gaoli bangzi’.

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Goryeo
club; stick; corn
club; stick; corn; maize
 
trad. (高麗棒子) 高麗 棒子
simp. (高丽棒子) 高丽 棒子

Pronunciation

Noun

高麗棒子

  1. (slang, derogatory, ethnic slur, offensive) Korean; kimchi (person)

Synonyms

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