Badass Korean — As Much as a Rat’s Tail

꼴통

[ggol-tong]

blockhead; derogatory insult

The Flashcard

The original illustrated card, front and back.

Being Bad in Korea card back꼴통 — blockhead; derogatory insult

Before you use it

This entry documents derogatory language, including an ableist English gloss in the historical card.

Meaning & context

골통이라는 단어를 세게 발음하여 변형된 말. 골통은 글자상으로 머리를 의미하지만 속어 적으로는 아무것도 모르고 한심한 짓만 해서 애를 먹이는 사람을 의미한다. 이 꼴통들은 보통 자신 뿐만 아니라 남에게도 피해를 입힌다.

Ggoltong comes from goltong (골통), literally meaning a head or skull and pronounced with extra emphasis on the initial ‘g’. As slang, it refers to someone that does shameful things without realizing it. Such troublesome people not only harm themselves but also others.

From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 47–47. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.

STORY TIME

See it in conversation

Korean

3학년 카사노바

English

3rd Grade Casanova

Kaeul

작년에 피터가 가르치지 않으셨어요?

가을

Didn’t you have Peter in your class last year?

YuJa

그 쬐그만 꼴통! 귀엽지만 정말 대책이 없는 아이죠.

유자

That little ggoltong! He’s a cute kid, but totally clueless.

Kaeul

그 꼴통같은 자식을 어떻게 해야할지 모르겠어요...

가을

He’s such a ggoltong, I don’t know what to do with him. . .

YuJa

왜요? 그 애가 또 무슨 일 저질렀나요?

유자

Why? What did he do this time?

Kaeul

어제 그녀석이 뛰어다니면서 모든 여자애들에게 뽀뽀를 하고 다녔어요.

가을

Yesterday he was running around kissing all the girls.

YuJa

그래요, 정말 다루기 힘든 아이에요. 오늘은 꼴통, 내일은 카사노바.

유자

Yeah, he’s a handful, all right. Ggoltong today, Casanova tomorrow.

As Much as a Rat’s Tail

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