# What does the term "Zipperhead" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576 "2003-05-11T23:58:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![InLikeFlynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f19dbf/32.png) [@InLikeFlynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InLikeFlynn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/1 "2003-05-11T23:58:37Z")
This really isn’t meant to be a raciest post just curious. I know it’s an ethnic slur used in the Vietnam era but I don’t get it. Is there a story behind it? ---
**Author:** ![InLikeFlynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f19dbf/32.png) [@InLikeFlynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InLikeFlynn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/2 "2003-05-12T00:04:40Z")
I don’t think that: A person with a closed mind, is the definition I’m looking for! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/3 "2003-05-12T01:19:50Z")
I’ve heard it used as a slang pejorative against Asians but not for years. Haj ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/4 "2003-05-12T01:36:25Z")
Near the end of Young Frankenstein, the enlightened monster’s new wife calls him Zipperneck, but he really has a zipper in his neck. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/5 "2003-05-12T01:52:37Z")
I thought it originated because soldiers who shot Koreans in the head during the Korean war noticed that their heads split open like they were being unzipped. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/6 "2003-05-12T02:36:50Z")
FOLDOC lists it as an IBM term for a closed-minded individual. [link-a-chow](http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?zipperhead) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/7 "2003-05-12T02:59:46Z")
the racial slur database says it is due to korean soldiers [http://rsdb.fuck.org/](http://rsdb.fuck.org/) Coined by US soldiers during Korean War. Also used in the film Full Metal Jacket. Two possible reasons: 1) if Asians were shot in the head with high-powered weapons, their heads would split as if you unzipped them or 2) many times the Asians would be run over by military Jeeps, which left tire tracks on them that resembled zippers. ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/8 "2003-05-12T04:31:45Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=171579](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=171579) ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/9 "2003-05-12T04:44:12Z")
The Japanese navy fliers had zippers on their headgear. That’s what I heard. Otherwise, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/10 "2003-05-12T05:52:31Z")
So, the verdict is that it’s either a very uncommon racial slur or an accusation of closed-mindedness, depending on context? (Never let it be said that English doesn’t needlessly recycle words.) ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-term-zipperhead-mean/174576/11 "2003-05-12T10:59:50Z")
Well, the trainign instructors in basic training in the US Air force back in 1987 used it to refer to the guys who parted their hair down the middle. We had plenty of the the first couple of days, and then we all got cue ball haircuts and that was over. Just thought I’d sow some more confusion.