mlungu
A South African term, from Zulu and Xhosa, used colloquially to refer to a white person.
Definitions
A South African term, from Zulu and Xhosa, used colloquially to refer to a white person. The word is widely used across South Africa and carries different registers depending on context — it can be neutral, affectionate, or pointed depending on tone and relationship. Not a formal term; it is an informal word that black South Africans use, sometimes to foreigners' surprise when they first encounter it.
The children watched the tourists with curiosity and one whispered, 'Yebo, mlungu,' giggling to the others.
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(South Africa) : A white person.
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- umlungu87%
A Zulu and Xhosa word for a white person, used across South African languages and now part of South African English. Originally a neutral descriptor, it has acquired complex connotations in the context of South Africa's racial history. It is often used matter-of-factly in South African conversation but can carry derogatory or ironic tones depending on who is saying it, to whom, and in what context.
- umlungu85%
Umlungu is a Zulu and Xhosa word used in South Africa to refer to a white person, functioning in much the same register as 'mzungu' in East Africa. While it can be neutral and descriptive, it is often perceived as loaded depending on tone, context, and speaker, and is frequently noted as potentially derogatory. It is commonly heard in South African everyday speech and occasionally appears in casual conversation or political commentary. Non-South African audiences may encounter it in literature, music, or journalism covering the country.
- umlungu84%
(South Africa, often, derogatory) A white person.
- abelungu73%
(South Africa, now, _, chiefly, _, pejorative) White people collectively.