Badass Korean — As Much as a Rat’s Tail

양아치

[yang-a-chi]

a wannabe gangster; a hooligan

Meaning & context

본래 뜻은 넝마주이 (그게 뭐지...? 오래된 옷이나 종이 따위를 재활용 하기 위해 모으는 사람이란다.) 비속어로 이것은, 저자 피터씨와 같이 깡패가 되고 싶은 이를 일컫는다. 보 통 양아치는 약하고, 불량한 학생, 언제나 욕하며 문제를 일으킨다.

Originally a ragpicker (whatever that is . . .? A collector of used clothing or paper for recycling.) As slang, it refers to someone like Siwoo, a wannabe, gangster or gangbanger, or just a two-bit hood. A yangachi is usually overly confident and conceited, but generally weak, a bad student, always swearing and always, always in trouble.

From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 169–169. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.

STORY TIME

See it in conversation

Korean

미국산 갈비

English

American Kalbi

SeungMan

질 좋은 미국산 갈비 먹으러 가자.

승만

Let’s go get some good-ole American kalbi (marinated ribs).

DaeJung

농담하냐? 너 광우병 걸리고 싶어?!

대중

Are you kidding? Do you want to get mad cow disease?!

SeungMan

그건 그저 광불평일 뿐이야. 내가 아직도 자리에 있다면, 아무도 불평 못했을텐데.

승만

That’s just mad griping. If I were in power, no one would complain.

DooWhan

그래, 명박이는 너무 약해. 그 양아치는 고기도 못 먹고.

두환

Yeah, MyungBak is too weak. That yangachi can’t even eat meat.

MyungBak

야, 뒷땅까지마!... 나 현대에서 일했어! 청계천도 만들었고! 나 벼락 양아치 된 거 아니다. 난 셀러리맨의 신화라고!

명박

Hey, stop talking shit about me!… I worked at Hyundai! I built Cheongaechon! I’m no upstart yangachi. I’m a MADE MAN!

As Much as a Rat’s Tail

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