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Polish · Words You'll Hear But Must Never Say

ciapaty

chah-PAH-tih · /t͡ɕa.ˈpa.tɨ/

A racist slur for brown-skinned people. Comprehension-only — never say it.

5/5 Do not deploy

nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended

Literally

"(racist slur for South Asian and Middle Eastern people, from 'chapati')"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

We're telling you so you understand it, not so you say it. Derived mockingly from the chapati flatbread, this is the contemporary Polish racist slur for South Asian, Middle Eastern, and generally brown-skinned people — heard more since Poland's migration debates turned ugly, including around the delivery couriers who now keep Polish cities fed. It is unambiguous, current, and vile; there is no reclaimed or joking use available to you. Severity 5, comprehension-only: recognize it as the marker of racist speech that it is, and never let it near your own mouth.

Heard in the wild

[Heard in racist street speech; listed for comprehension only.]

[A racist slur — recognize it, never use it.]

Where it lands

Poland (universal); current racist slang

Quick answers

What does "ciapaty" mean?
In Polish, "ciapaty" means "A racist slur for brown-skinned people. Comprehension-only — never say it.". Literally it's "(racist slur for South Asian and Middle Eastern people, from 'chapati')". We're telling you so you understand it, not so you say it. Derived mockingly from the chapati flatbread, this is the contemporary Polish racist slur for South Asian, Middle Eastern, and generally brown-skinned people — heard more since Poland's migration debates turned ugly, including around the delivery couriers who now keep Polish cities fed. It is unambiguous, current, and vile; there is no reclaimed or joking use available to you. Severity 5, comprehension-only: recognize it as the marker of racist speech that it is, and never let it near your own mouth.
Is "ciapaty" offensive?
Yes — very. It rates 5/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Do not deploy). nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
How do you pronounce "ciapaty"?
Say it "chah-PAH-tih" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: t͡ɕa.ˈpa.tɨ.

Related in Polish

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