jungle Asian en · NOUN
Etymology
Compound of jungle + Asian, referencing the area's mostly tropical climate. Popularized by Ali Wong in her 2016 comedy special Baby Cobra.
Meanings
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(derogatory, ethnic, humorous, qualifier:sometimes self-deprecatory, slang, slur, sometimes) A person from Southeast Asia.
As my Singaporean friend used to say, the "Jungle Asians" 😂😭
2025 October 25, @SydneyLWatson, Twitter:I think my husband and I have a huge unspoken understanding between each other, because he’s half Filipino and half Japanese and I’m half Chinese and half Vietnamese. So, we’re both half fancy Asian… and half jungle Asian.
2016, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra, spoken by Ali Wong:SEA baboon head jungle asian thinks he's white lmao
2026 June 8, @EYEEEKONIC, Twitter:The descriptor “jungle Asian” implies that those who don’t fit into the “fancy Asian” category are inferior, and more likely to face colourism.
2018 November 15, Yenée Saw, “We need to talk about 'Subtle Asian Traits'”, in SBS:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| jungle Asians | Number=Plur | lexicographic |