양귀자

Korean

Etymology

Sino-Korean word from 洋鬼子, probably an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 洋鬼子 (yángguǐzi).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ja̠ŋɡɥid͡ʑa̠] ~ [ja̠ŋɡyd͡ʑa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [양귀자]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	yanggwija
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	yanggwija
McCune–Reischauer?	yanggwija
Yale Romanization?	yangkwica

Noun

양귀자 • (yanggwija) (hanja 洋鬼子)

1. (obsolete, derogatory, ethnic slur) white devil; Western devil; foreign devil (term of abuse for Westerners)

   Synonym: 양놈 (yangnom)

   • 1866, 홍순학/洪淳學 (Hong Sun-hak), 연행가/燕行歌 (Yeonhaengga) [Song of the Journey to Beijing]:

     큰길의 양귀ᄌᆞ놈 무상왕ᄂᆡᄒᆞ네
     눈골은 움슉ᄒᆞ고 코마로ᄂᆞᆫ 우둑ᄒᆞ여
     머리털은 발간 거시 곱실곱실 양피 갓고 […]

     Keun'gir-ui yanggwija-nom musang'wangnaehane
     Nun'gor-eun umsyukhago komaro-neun udukhayeo
     Meoriteor-eun balgan geo-si gopsilgopsil yangpi gatgo [ … ]

     The white devils on the busy road freely come and go
     Their eyes are deep-set and their nose ridges are lofty
     Their hair, being all red, is curly like wool […]