12 Commonly Used Korean Slang

12 Commonly Used Korean Slang

 

1. 대박

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Literally it means bonanza. It has the meaning as awesome, brilliant, amazing. But you could also use it as weird or crazy too.

오늘 수업 정말 대박이었어.

Today’s lesson was awesome!

 

2.멘붕 men-bung

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It’s an abbreviation of 멘탈붕괴 (Mental Collapse/men tal bung goi). It means “shocking”, “out of mind”, “brain dead” or “mini mental breakdown”.

오늘이 일요일인 줄 알고 점심때까지 잤는데, 알고 보니 월요일이었어.
나 완전 멘붕이었어.

I thought it was Sunday, so I slept in until lunch time, but it turned out it was Monday. I had a mini mental breakdown.

 

3.꿀잼 ggul jaem : Really funny/interesting
노잼 no jaem : Not funny/interesting
핵노잼 haek no jaem : Super boring/ Not funny at all

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These words are all combination slangs with (jaem/ 재미 fun, interesting).

꿀잼 : Honey (this used as an emphasise word) funny
노잼 : No + (재미/ fun)
핵노잼: Nuclear+ No+ (재미/): Nuclear weapon strength like boring.

우리 오빠는 매일 부장님 개그만 해. 핵노잼이야.
My older brother does Dad jokes everyday. It’s super boring

 

4.행쇼 haeng show

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It’s an abbreviation of 행복하십쇼 haeng bok ha sip show / be happy. Some people say it instead of saying goodbye these day

 

5.뭥미? mwong mi?

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It’s an incorrectly typed internet slang of ” 뭐임(mwo im/ What is it)”. Because it’s incorrectly typed, it’s even better when emphasising how shocking the thing that he/she said or saw was. So it means “What the…”

이건 뭥미?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
What the heck is this? LOL

 

6.웃프다 ud peu da

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It’s a combination of word 웃기다 ud gi da/funny and 슬프다 seul peu da/sad. Situations where you don’t know wether to laugh or cry.

미국인들이 그를 차대 대통령으로 지지한다는 게 도대체 믿기지않는다. 참 웃프다.
I can’t believe that American support him as their next president. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

 

7.아놔 a nwo

This is an exclamation word. It shows that you are frustrated or annoyed at something or someone. Also, people say it when they are lost their words or dumfounded because something is ridiculous.

내 여동생은 매일 방귀를 끼고 술 취한 아저씨 같은 짓만 한다. 그래놓고 어제는 방에서 귀요미를 하면서 여자 행세를 하고 있었다. 아놔, 어이가 없어서.

My younger sister farts a lot and acts like a drunken middle age man. Yesterday she was playing gwi yo mi song (a cute song) and pretending she was a woman. Damn, I am absolutely lost for words.

 

8.jjang

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It means “the best”, “Awesome” or “Fantastic”.

어제 우리 남친이 떡볶이를 만들었는데, 너무 맛있었음! 대박! 우리 남친 짱!
Yesterday my boyfriend cooked ddeokboki and it was so delicious!
It was Amazing! My boyfriend is the best!

 

9.양다리 yang da li
   양다리 걸치다. yang da li geol chi da.
   문어 다리 mun eo da li

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Literal meaning is “both legs” but when you say 양다리 걸치다 yang da li geol chi da/Put two legs means two timing someone or cheating on somebody. You could call a playboy 문어 다리 mun eo da li which means that person has octopus legs.

내 남친이 양다리를 걸쳤다니, 정말 믿을 수가 없어.
I can’t believe that my boyfriend cheated on me.

 

10.쩐다 jjeon da

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It has a very similar meaning to 대박 dae bak. Which has two extremely different meanings. Depending on the situation, it could mean ‘awesome, ‘amazing’ and ‘cool’. Alternatively, it could mean ‘hideous’, ‘terrible’ or ‘awful’.

험베르토가 책상에 낙서한 거 봤어? 완전 쩔어!
Have you seen Humberto’s “Doodle on the Desk”? It’s amazing!

Image by Humberto Casas

 

11.깬다 ggen da

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It means “turned off”. You were blinded by love, but then you saw something that you didn’t like in that person. Then it turns you off.

정말 반했었는데, 말 해보니까 너무 무식한거 있지. 완전 깬다 깨.
I fell instantly in love with him, but since we had a bit more of a chat, I realised he is so ignorant – it’s a total turn off.

 

12.돌직구 dol jig gu

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It’s abbreviation words of “/rock” and “직구/fastball”. It eans that somebody doesn’t beat around the bush.

A: 솔직히 말해서 나한테 말걸지 마. 너같이 꽉 막힌 사람 진짜 싫어.

I’m being frank with you – don’t talk to me. I really don’t like inflexible people like you.

B: 너 진짜 돌직구네.

Wow..you don’t beat around the bush, aren’t you?

 

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Amy

Amy Kim is a South Korean native who relocated to Manchester. When not teaching Korean, she spends her free time reading & painting.