🇰🇷 Korean Swearing in brief:

So you wanna SWEAR? ~ Swear with Flair! 🤬

Forget the sweat box, this is the swear box, where we’ll lock you in and get the worst out of you, so you’ll come out clean on the other side… or dirty, at least with a dirty mouth! Anyway, enjoy this foray into the wonderful swearing in Korean!

As South Korean youtuber, Sibong writes:

• 년 [nyeon] bitch
• 놈 [nom] bastard
• 좆 [jot] dick or cock
• 개 [gae] dog or cur (used with other swears to suggest SOB)
• 개새끼 [gae-sae-ggi] SOB – son of a bitch (literally “a dog’s offspring”). This standard insult can also be shortened to 개새 [gae-sae]. One of my Korean students once talked of a beautiful English expression – Sun of a Beach – oops!
• 새끼 [sae-ggi] while this can be a general derogatory phrase (clearly profanity), it can also be used to describe an animal baby or even as a term of endearment for one’s child or grandchild. *(~ yeah, language is odd!)
• 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 saeggi] crazy SOB, 미친년 [mi-chin nyeon] crazy bitch, or 미친놈 [mi-chin nom] crazy bastard
• ㅗㅗ [o-o] texting for “fuck you,” as it resembles two middle fingers sticking up.

• 섹스 [sek-se] sex (borrowed from English, ubiquitous)
• 하다 [ha-da] to do it (have sex); also, 하자 [ha-ja] let’s do it
• 자다 [ja-da] to sleep with (sex); also, 자래 [cha-le] shall we retire to the bedroom? (hint, hint, nudge, nudge)
• 쉬었다 가자 [sui-eoss-ta ga-ja] Let’s go for a rest *(at a love motel).
• 날 가져! [nal ga-jyeo] take me! (ok, not swearing, but soooo useful)
• 합궁 [hap-geung] having sex (archaic, a bit like “making house”)
• 성교 [seong-gyo] intercourse (coitus or sexual congress)
• 몸을 섞다 [moem-eul seogg-da] to mix bodies (have sexual intercourse)
• 성관계 [seong-gwan-gae] to have sexual relations (more of a medical term)
• 혼전성관계 [hon-jeon seong-gwan-gae] to have premarital sex
• (성욕을) 자극하다 [seong-yuk-eul ja-geug-ha-da] – arouse sexual desire
• 딸딸이 [ddal-ddal-i] masterbating (childish) – for a bit of fun on your own
• 자위하다 [ja-ui-ha-da] beat off or jack off
• 수음을 하다 [su-eom-eul ha-da] to play with oneself (also a hand job)
• 구강 성교 [gu-gang sung-gyo] fellatio or cunnilingus
• 사까시 [sa-gga-si] oral sex (from the Japanese)
• 빠구리 [bba-gu-rl] buggery (doggy-style ass fucking)
• 섹스숍 [sek-se-shop] or 포르노점(店) [po-re-no-jeom] – a place to buy those awesome toys or little nightin-nothings
• 야설 [ya-seol] an erotic novel, an acronym of 야한 소설 [ya-han so-seol]

• 걸레 [geol-lae] a slut or easy woman who will sleep with anyone (lit. a rag)
• 갈보 [gal-bo] or 창녀 [chang-yeo] a prostitute, a whore. (North Korea recently called South Korean President Park GeunHye a crafty whore (교활한 창녀 [kyohwal- han chang-yeo]). BAD form boys!
• 싸보이다 [ssa-bo-i-da] looks cheap (like a prostitute)
• Or even worse 엠창 (em-cchang) your mama’s a whore – from the slang for mom (엠) combined with 창, which is short for 창녀(chang-nyeo) or prostitute. This is often used when someone appears not to be telling the truth, as in if you are lying, your mother is a whore.
• 떡볶이 [ddeok-bogg-i] magic sex (during the woman’s period)
• 라볶이 [ra-bogg-i] magic pubes (red pubic hair that results from having sex during the woman’s period)
• 변태 새끼! [byeon-tae sae-kkki] fuckin’ perv (lit. pervert SOB)

• 보지 [bo-ji] muff, cunt or pussy (slang for a vulva and related to a flower), also 뽕 [bbong] or 잠지 [jam-ji]
• 자지 [ja-ji] penis (offensive, similar to the English dick or cock) also 좆 [jot]
• 좆나게 [jot-na-gae] to get hard (for the penis to come out)
• 고추 [go-chu] literally “a pepper,” but childish slang for a penis as with pee-pee or wee-wee.
• 물건 [mul-geon] literally, a thing (slang for the penis) like “down there” or “it”
• 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 (childish)
• 유두 [yu-du] nipples or 젖꼭지 [jeot-ggok-ji] literally, the breast spigot

The Butt – in Korea, words related to the butt, anus or feces are not nearly as taboo as they are in English, so they are not generally considered swear words or even foul language, but would still not be used in polite conversation.

• 엉덩이 [eong-deong-i], 엉댕이 [eong-daeng-i], 궁둥이 [gong-deung-i], 궁댕이 [gong-daeng-i] and 히프 [hip] all mean butt, but do not equate with “ass.”
• 항문 [hang-mun] anus (medical term)
• 똥구멍 [ddong-gu-meong], 똥구녕 [ddeong-gu-nyeong] and 똥꼬 [ddeong-go] all mean poop-hole, but do not carry the same weight as “asshole” in English.

A Bad Hair Day – We’ve all had one, but these are far from what you’re thinking!

• 좆털 [jot-teol] a man’s pubic hair (literally “cock fur”)
• 잡털 [jab-teol] a man’s pubic hair (literally “impure fur”)
• 보지털 [bo-ji-tol] a woman’s pubic hair (literally “pussy fur”)

Mouth, Ears and Eyes – Koreans expect others to keep their secrets without asking, putting them at constant risk. Also, if one was to say something that the king didn’t like, look at or hear something they shouldn’t, or look at someone in an unflattering way, that person could quickly lose his life. Thus giving us many low expressions for the mouth, ears and eyes.

• 아가리 [a-ga-ri] mouth, kisser or yap
• 아구창 [a-gu-chang] a diseased mouth
• 주둥이 [ju-deung-i] a muzzle, a bill or beak, same as 주둥아리 [judeungari]
• 귓구녕 [gui-gun-yeong] ear, also 귀싸대기 [gui-ssa-dae-gi]
• 눈깔 [nun-ggal] eye, also 눈탱이 [nuntaengi]
• 눈구덩이 [nun-gu-deong-i] eye socket, also 눈알 [nun-al] eyeball
• 콧구녕 [kot-gu-nyeong] nostrils, 모가지 [mo-ga-ji] neck
• 손모가지 [son-mok-ga-ji] wrist, 발모가지 [bal-mok-ga-ji] ankle
• 턱주가리 [tok-ju-ga-ri] the jaw, chin or chops, 싸대기 [ssa-dae-gi] cheek
• 면상 [myeon-sang] face, 낯짝 [nat-jjak] face or mug
• 매주 [mae-ju] fugly (face) maeju is fermented soybeans that look and smells like shit
• 마빡 [ma-bbak] forehead, 이마빡 [i-ma-bbak] forehead
• 대가리 [dae-ga-ri] head, 대갈통 [daegaltong], 대갈빡 [dae-gal-bbak]
• 돌대가리 [dol-dae-ga-ri] dickhead

• 오줌싸다 [o-jum-ssa-da] to urinate
• 똥싸다 [ddong-ssa-da] to poop
  
• 방귀뀌다 [bang-gui-ggui-da] fart, also 방구 [bbanggu]
• 오르가즘 [o-reu-ga-jeum] orgasm
• 사정하다 [sa-jeong-ha-da] to ejaculate, also 싸다 [ssa-da] to ejaculate or cum
• 자위하다 [ja-wi-ha-da] to masturbate, also 딸딸이치다 [ddal-ddal-i-chi-da]

Children’s language 쉬하다 [shi-ha-da] to pee, 쉬 마려워 [shi ma-ryeo-wo] I gotta pee (relieve myself), 응가하다 [ung-ga-ha-da] or 응가 마려워 [ung-ga-ma-ryeo-wo] have to poop (go number 2), 똥꼬 [ddong-ggu] butt hole (anus, cute)

• 병신 [byung-sin] a deformed or diseased person
• 지랄 [ji-ral] epilepsy, actual meaning is an act of madness, or calling someone on some bullshit in English (also ㅈㄹ for BS in English) – side note: I first heard this in a hilarious comedy called Attack the Gas Station (주유소 습격 사건)
• 염병 [youm-byoung] typhoid (enteric) fever, a contagious disease

• 개새 [gae-sae] SOB short for 개새끼 [gae-sae-ggi]
• 쌍놈(년) [ssang-nom(nyeon)] low-born (peasant) bastard (bitch)
• 썅놈(년) [sshyang-nom(nyeon)] low-born (peasant) bastard (bitch)
• 좆 같은 놈(년) [jeot-gat-eun-nom(nyeon)] lit. you look like a penis
• 좆 같은 씨발 놈아 [jot gat-eon ssi-bal-nom-a] you dick-like fucking bastard
• 미친 새끼 [mi-chin sae-ggi] crazy SOB
• 씨발년 [ssi-bal-nyeon] fucking bitch
• 씹새끼 [sshib-saeg-gi] fucking son-of-a-bitch
• 씨방새 [sshi-bang-sae] fuck you
• 빌어먹을 놈(년) [bil-eo-meog-eul nom(nyeon)] beg-to-eat bastard (bitch)
• 호로새끼 [ho-ro-sae-ggi] & 호로자식 [ho-ro-ja-sik] bastard son
• 쪼다새끼 [jjo-da-sae-ggi] narrow-minded SOB
• 엄마 젖이나 더 먹고와! [eom-ma jeoj-i-na deo meok-go-wa] go suck your mama’s tit
• 집에 가서 딸딸이나 쳐! [jib-ae ka-seo ddal-ddal-i-na cheo] go home and masturbate (you’re not my type)

Beware of these silly words in translation (you silly sod)

• 10 babies – becomes 씹새끼 [ssib-sae-ggi]
• 18 – becomes 씨발 [ssi-bal]
• 28 years – becomes 이 씨발년 [i ssi-bal-nyeon]
• Dog bird – becomes 개새 [gae-sae] SOB short for 개새끼

And for a little something new, try…

• Changhyun the Bitch 창현년 [chang-hyun nyeon]
• Son of a Siwoo 시우새끼 [siwoo sae-ggi]; that little shit, Siwoo 이씨우 [ee-ssiwoo]; Siwoo fucker 시우팔 [siwoo-pal]
• Fucking Peter 피터 [pi-teo] a spit of a swear in and of itself

• 좆까 없어 [jot-gga] literally “to peel a dick,” and suggesting that you go get yourself circumcised, it means “hell no,” “piss off,” or “fuck off” .
• 좆밥 [jot-bab] you insignificant dick (literally “your dick is (nothing but) rice”
• 좆되다 [jot-doi-da] to be(come) a dick, become spoiled
• 골빈놈(년) [gol-bin-nom(nyeon)] airhead bastard (bitch) or dumbass
• 물개이지 [mul-gae-i-ji] it’s a seal, isn’t it … slang for “of course, you SOB.” An acronym for 물론이지 개새끼야 [mul-lon-i-ji gae-sae-ggi-ya]

• 이씨 [i-ssi] can’t believe it (somewhat similar to “bull” of bullshit)
• 이자식 [ja-sik] “you (little shit)” to a child, but “how dare you,” to an adult
• 이놈아 [i-nom-a]; 이년아 [in-nyeon-a] OK for grandparents to say to grandchildren
• 제기랄 [jae-gi-ral] damn it, devil take you, gosh
• 젠장 [jaen-jang] shit (like shoot)
• 임마 [im-ma] again like “you little shit”
• 이뭐병 [i-mueong-mi] “what the hell is this (you fuckin’ moron)?”이게 뭐야 병신아”
• 뭥미 [mueong-mi] a misspelling of 뭐임 [mueo-im] meaning “what the hell?”
• 멍청이 [mung-cheong-i] a blockhead, dunce or idiot
• 바보 [ba-bo] a fool, a stupid person
• 빵꾸똥꾸 [bbang-gu-ddong-gu] childish for fool, literally “fart-poop.”

• 씨댕 [ssi-daeng] or 씨밤바 [ssibamba] sound like sshibal [씨발]
• 씬댕 [ssin-daeng] darn or shoot
• 씹새 [sshib-sae] very close to sshibsaeggi [씹새끼]
• 멍텅구리 [mung-tung-gu-ri] idiot, like meongchongi [멍청이]
• 씨부리다 [ssi-bu-ri-da] what the fuck are you talking about?
• 빙신 [bing-sin] and 삥딱 [bbing-ddak] are softer versions of 병신 [byung-sin]
• 
   엿먹어 [yeot-meog-eo] lit. eat taffy, used to sound like 역먹어 [yeok-meog-eo] lit. “eat a swear word” and similar to “bite me,” “eat shit” or basically “fuck off”

A Quick Question (or two)

So what’s your favorite Korean curse word?
What Korean insults have you heard?
What bad word did you conjure up, then swallow before you made a serious enemy?
What Korean swear words do you banter with your close friends?
Which phrase hits closeset to home (hangin in your traditional Korean hanbok)?

Share below and we won’t judge; make no mistake, the Korean language is rife with the “real language” of cursing as it is with every culture. But please never be demeaning or degrading to others, that kind of shit will get you banned.

And if you’re a native speaker, please give us more to explore, cause bad language is our jam!

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Thanks
Pete (AKA – the GreyRat)