racist
racist — noun
1. a person who treats people from other racial groups unfairly or speaks about the
a person who treats people from other racial groups unfairly or speaks about them in harmful ways because they are firmly convinced that their own race is naturally superior.
Several residents complained that their new neighbour was a racist who refused to speak to families of other backgrounds.
a racist (countable noun after verb 'be')
The politician was widely called a racist after suggesting that immigration rules should favour one skin colour over another.
call someone a racist (verb + object + complement)
Hugo said his grandfather was no racist — he judged people by their character, not by where they came from.
When the landlord turned away the Cheng family because of their ethnicity, the tenant called him a racist.
The school board decided not to tolerate racists and suspended three students for posting hateful messages online.
- bigot
broader term; a bigot is intolerant of any group, not necessarily based on race
- white supremacist
more specific; refers specifically to belief in white racial superiority
- supremacist
broader; can refer to belief in superiority of any group, not only racial
- anti-racist
someone who actively opposes racism
文法句型
a racist
the racists (plural)
用法筆記
Frequently appears after the verb 'call' in the structure 'call + person + a racist'. The noun is countable and can be used in both singular and plural forms.
常見錯誤
racist — adjective
1. holding or showing the conviction that people of certain races are innately infe
holding or showing the conviction that people of certain races are innately inferior to your own, especially when this leads to unfair or hostile treatment.
His racist jokes made everyone at the dinner table feel deeply uncomfortable.
attributive use: racist + noun (jokes)
Olivia asked her colleague to stop making racist comments during team meetings.
collocation: racist comments
The newspaper apologised after publishing a racist cartoon of a local mayor.
Lien was shocked to hear such racist views expressed by a university professor.
Making fun of someone's accent is racist and deeply hurtful.
- bigoted
broader; describes intolerance of any group, not only racial
- prejudiced
broader; describes any preconceived negative judgement, not necessarily about race
- discriminatory
focuses more on actions and treatment than on beliefs
文法句型
racist + noun
be + racist
用法筆記
Can be used both before a noun ('racist slur') and after a linking verb ('That comment was racist'). The predicative use is especially common in spoken criticism of everyday remarks or actions.
常見錯誤
2. describing systems, rules, or practices that create or maintain unequal treatmen
describing systems, rules, or practices that create or maintain unequal treatment and opportunities across racial groups, typically to the advantage of one group over others.
A 2022 government report found the school-funding system to be racist against non-white communities.
predicative: be + racist + against + group
The court ruled that the company's hiring practices were racist because they excluded qualified applicants of colour without reasonable cause.
Some historians argue that certain housing laws from the 1930s were racist in both their design and their long-term impact.
The city council created a task force to examine whether its promotion policies had racist effects.
Many activists say the banking system is racist because it denies loans at higher rates to minority neighbourhoods.
- discriminatory
broader; covers any kind of unfair treatment, not necessarily race-based
- inequitable
more formal; describes unfair distribution of opportunities or resources
- exclusionary
focuses on the effect of keeping certain groups out
文法句型
racist + noun (policy/system/practice)
be + racist
用法筆記
Typically describes institutions, policies, or systems rather than individual people. Distinguish from the first adjective sense, which describes personal beliefs or hostile remarks directed at individuals.