잉여
[ing-yeo]
a useless human being; a waste of space
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
다소 백수의 표현과 비슷한 의미이다. 이는 누군가 직업이 없고, 인생에서 아무것도 성취한 것이 없다고 느낄 때 자기 스스로를 비하하는 말이다. 혹은 쓸모 없이 잉여시간을 보내고 있는 사람에게 어느 정도 빈정대는 의미로 쓰이기도 한다.
Somewhat similar to a baeksu, this is a self-deprecating term for someone who has no job and feels like they are not accomplishing anything with their life. Ingyeo is also used as a somewhat sarcastic term about a person with surplus time that is considered useless, literally “a leftover.”
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 180–181. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
냉동상
English
Freezer Burn
명태, 요즘 어떻게 지냈어?
MyeongTae, what have you been up to lately?
뭐 계속 신선하고 맛있는 상태로 있으려 노력 중이지. 넌?
Just trying to stay fresh and delicious. And you?
항상 있던 저녁 식사 테이블에서 양념 듬뿍 받고 있어.
At my usual place on the dinner table getting all spiced up.
노가리나 동태는 요즘 어떻대?
Have you seen NoGari or DongTae?
노가리는 호프집에서 사람들 배 채워주며 그럭저럭 잘 지내는 것 같아.
NoGari is hangin’ in the hofs, feeding the masses.
동태는?
And DongTae?
냉동실 뒤편에 처박혀 잉여처럼 있지 뭐.
Stuck in the back of the freezer like the ingyeo he is.
아 그래, 걔는 거기에 너무 오래 숨어있으면서 인생을 다 허비하고 있는 것 같아.
Yeah, he’s been hiding there so long, he’s burned his life away.
From the book: notes & culture
The Straight Scoop
Feeling Fishy?
The characters in the conversation above are personified fish. MyeongTae [명태] is an Alaskan Pollack SaengTae [생태] is ‘fresh’ Alaskan Pollack NoGari [노가리] is a young Alaskan Pollack (most often eaten dried as a side dish with alcohol, like little dried minnows to dip in spicy pepper paste) DongTae [동태] is frozen Alaskan Pollack
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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.
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