Badass Korean — As Much as a Rat’s Tail

짭새

[jjab-sae]

the pigs, the fuzz; police (derogatory)

The Flashcard

The original illustrated card, front and back.

Being Bad in Korea card back짭새 — the pigs, the fuzz; police (derogatory)

Meaning & context

문자그대로는 상스러운, 잡종 새를 뜻한다. 비속어로서는 섞인, 순수하지 않은 것을 의미 하는 잡과 비슷한 짭이라는 글자와 조류, 더 나아가서는 이리저리 옮겨다니며 지저귀는 새 와 같은 위반단속을 하는 사람들을 연상캐하는 새라는 글자가 합쳐져 경찰을 의미한다. 이 는 거의 젊은 세대들에 의해 사용되어지고 비슷한 영어식 표현으로는 ‘pig’가 있다.

Literally “a vulgar, mixed-breed bird.” Jjab (짭), similar to jab (잡) is a mixed, or impure thing, and sae (새) most likely refers to a bird or fowl, or more particularly the annoying chirping of a bird as the officer wanders from place to place like a bird ticketing people. This insult is used mostly by youth and is roughly equivalent to the English insult to police: “the pigs.”

From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 198–199. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.

STORY TIME

See it in conversation

Korean

짭새가 날아든다!

English

Jjabsae, fly over here!

ChangHyun

(음주단속 후) 나는 저런 짭새새끼가 싫어. 저놈은 시민들 괴롭히는 것 말고는 할게 없대? 지 주제를 알아야지!

창현

(After sobriety test) I hate that kind of jjabsae SOB. Doesn’t he have anything better to do than bother citizens? He should know his place!

ByungShik

야! 너 네가 깡이 세다고 하지 않았었어? 얼굴 마주보고 짭새라고 해보지 그래? 넌 군인이고 쟨 기껏해야 경찰이야.

병식

I thought you said you were brave! Why didn’t you call him jjabsae to his face? You outrank him.

ChangHyun

지금 나보고 겁쟁이라는거야? 잠깐... 야, 짭새야!

창현

You calling me a coward? Watch this… Ya, Jjabsae ya!

Police

Officer (경찰이 차 쪽으로 다시 걸어온다) 뭐라고?

경찰

[Cop walks back to car] What did you say?

ChangHyun

아, 그냥 노래에요 – 라디오에서 나온... “짭새가 날아든다!”

창현

Ah, just singing – it was on the radio… “Jjabsae, fly over here!”

Police

Officer 차에서 내려...

경찰

Get out of the car…

From the book: notes & culture

Swear Box

Some say this is the first stuff you should learn. . .

We say that too!

Be careful!! Shhh! Don’t say these, but you should know what they mean. . . especially if you are watching gangster movies . . . Korean Swearing in brief: The basics

•년 [nyeon] bitch

•놈 [nom] bastard (pejorative for a man)

•좆 [jot] dick or cock

•개 [gae] dog or cur (used in combination with other offensive language)

•개새끼 [gae-sae-ggi] SOB – son of a bitch (literally “a dog’s offspring”) or

개새 [gae-sae] for short

•씨발 [ssi-bal] similar to “you fucking (so-and-so)” in English, but literally meaning “you will sell your seed.” This can be shortened to 씹 [sshib]

•쌍 [ssang] low-born or ignoble from Chosun dynasty or before, also 썅 [sshyang] most often used as a combination 쌍놈 [ssang-nom] low bastard

•미친 [mi-chin] crazy, most often used as a combination 미친새끼 [mi-chin sae-ggi] crazy SOB, 미친년 [mi-chin nyeon] crazy bitch, or 미친놈 [mi-chin nom] crazy bastard The body parts – the unmentionables and offenders Sex organs

•보지 [bo-ji] slang for vulva muff or pussy, also 뽕 [bbong] or 잠지 [jam-ji]

•자지 [ja-ji] penis or dick, similar to 좆 [jot] cock, or

•고추 [go-chu] literally “a pepper,” but childish slang for a penis as with peepee or weewee.

•젖 [jeot] breast or breast milk, also 젖가슴 [jeot-ga-seum] boobs or tits

•젖탱이 [jeot-taeng-i] the cup of the breasts, 찌찌 [jji-jji] breast (somewhat childish)

•유두 [yu-du] nipples or 젖꼭지 [jeot-ggok-ji] literally, the breast spigot

As Much as a Rat’s Tail

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 →