대략난감
[dae-ryak-nan-gam]
a pain in the ass; a total drag; unbearable
Meaning & context
문자 그대로의 의미는 대략적으로 참을 수 없다, 혹은 견딜 수 없다라는 뜻. 이 표현은 듣 는 사람을 재미없게 만드는 긴 이야기 후, 주로 채팅상에서 종종 사용된다. “너의 이야기 를 듣는 것은 정말 난감하다” 라는 의미로 썰렁하다라는 표현과 비슷하게 사용된다.
Literally meaning “roughly speaking” (dae-ryak) and “to be intolerable or unbearable” (nan-gam). The phrase is used, following a long story that the listener seems to find uninteresting especially when chatting online, to say “listening to your story was unbearable” or “a real snooze.” It is similar to sollonghada (썰렁하다), which means “it’s boring.” It can also be used to express something like “aint that a bitch!”
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 79–79. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
농담 따먹기
English
Just in Jest or Down in the Doldrums
...그리고나서 승려가 성직자에게 말했어. “떡볶이 좋아해?” 하 하 하 하... 알았지? 그녀는 땡추야.
. . .And then the Buddhist nun said to the monk, “Do you like ddokbboki?” Ha ha ha ha. . . Get it? She was a ddaengchu!
아이고! 대락난감!
Oh my! Daeryak-nangam!
From the book: notes & culture
The Straight Scoop
떡볶이 [ddok-bbok-i] a popular, Korean street food of spicy rice cakes, but can also be used as slang for sex (during the woman’s period.
땡추 [ddaeng-chu] a monk that drinks, eats meat, picks up girls, plays around and doesn't do his or her job well.
TAKE THE WHOLE BOOK WITH YOU
As Much as a Rat’s Tail
Illustrated Korean, bilingual conversations, and the stories behind the expressions. Read here, then keep the complete book close.
Find the book Korean for lovers →