Tell anyone that you’re learning a language and they’ll usually ask you how to say hello. But this is often swiftly followed by “teach me some swear words”. Here we explain some of the worst and tamest Korean curse words, insults and swear words. You might have even heard a few of these already if you’re a K-Drama fan!
Korean Curse Word List at a Glance
If you want to learn some Korean curse words (욕; yok) and profanities quickly, here they are! These are ready to use immediately.
Note that swearing in Korean is very different from swearing in English and other languages. Korea places a high emphasis on respect, especially in conversations with strangers or those who are in a higher social position than you. As a result, it’s best to only use swear words with your close friends or as a way of letting off steam by yourself when you’re annoyed.
That being said, Koreans do still swear a lot – they just mainly swear with close friends, at school, and on nights out with people they’re close to.
| Korean Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 씨발 | ssibal | Fuck |
| 새끼 | saekki | Son of a… (when used towards a person) |
| 개새끼 | gaesaekki | Son of a bitch |
| 개자식 | gaejasik | Son of a bitch |
| 미친 놈/미친 년 | michin nom/michin nyeon | Crazy guy/girl/bastard |
| 병신 | byeongsin | Idiot or retard |
| 또라이 | ddorai | Wack, weirdo, freak |
| 꺼져 | kkeojyeo | Fuck off, get lost |
| 지랄 | jiral | Bullshit, nonsense |
| 죽을래? | jukeullae? | Want to die? |
| 젠장 | jenjang | Shit, godamnit |
| 썅년/썅놈 | ssyangnyeon/ssyangnom | Bitch/bastard |
| 쪼다 새끼 | jjoda saekki | Pussy bitch |
| 엿 먹어 | yeot meokeo | Fuck you (literally means eat candy) |
| 좆나 | jotna | As fuck |
Body-Related Insults
Just like in English you can call people a “cunt” or a “dick”, Korean has similar curse words.
| Korean Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 좆같네 | jotgatnae | This sucks/you suck |
| 좆되네 | jotdwenaw | I’m fucked |
| 좆 같은 놈 | jot gateun nom | Piece of shit |
| 보지 | boji | Vagina |
| 씹 | ssip | Cunt, sex |
Insulting Someone’s Parents (패드립; Paedeurib)
It turns out that terms like “mother fucker” and “your mom” are universal. They exist in Korean too:
| Korean Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 니미럴 | nimirul | Mother fucking |
| 니 애미 | niaemi | Your mom |
| 느개비 | neugaebi | Your dad |
| 너검엄빠 | neogeomeomppa | Your parents |
| 니미 씨발 | nimi ssibal | Motherfucker |
| 엠창 | emchang | Your mom’s a prostitute (창녀 = prostitute) |
| 씹새끼 | ssibsaekki | Motherfucker |
Tamer Korean Curse Words
If you don’t want to cause too much offence, you can use these. Even though they’re tamer, they should still only really be used among friends (unless you want to start a fight with someone). Like many of these curse words, they can be used to tease people you’re close with.
| Korean Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 아이씨 | aissi | Ah fuuuuu- |
| 나쁜 놈 | nappeun nom | Bad guy |
| 빡치다 | bbakchida | To be pissed off |
| 바보 | babo | Idiot, fool, dummy |
| 멍청이 | meongchungi | Fool or dummy |
| 촌놈 | chonnom | Country bumpkin |
Now let’s look at some common Korean swear words in closer detail.
1. 씨발 (Ssibal): “Fuck”
One of the most common and strongest swear words in Korean is 씨발 (ssibal), which directly translates to the F-word in English. It’s often used out of frustration or anger and is considered highly offensive and vulgar. Like its English counterpart, it can be used as an exclamation in different situations, such as when something goes wrong or when you’re extremely annoyed.
씨발 is originally from an old verb in Korean, 씹하다 (ssiphada) which meant “to have sex”. Whilst the verb is no longer used, this swear word has stood the test of time.
You might have noticed 아이씨 (aissi) on the list above. This is a way of saying 씨발 without saying it, kind of like when someone goes “Fuuuu!” in English. Whilst it’s not technically a swear word, you wouldn’t use it in formal settings either. It’s more of an exclamation that you would use when things don’t go your way or you’re upset.
Example:
- 씨발! (ssibal!) – Fuck!
- 씨발새끼야! (ssibalsaekkiya) – Fucking son of a bitch!
Tip: If you’ve learned Korean numbers, you might already know that 18 in Korean is 십팔 (sippal). Watch out for the pronunciation on this word; if you get it wrong, it can sound like 씨발!
2. 새끼 (Saekki): “Son of a bitch”
새끼 (saekki) literally means baby or offspring. It’s not always a swear word; for instance, some grandparents or parents refer to their grandchildren or children as “새끼”, or friends will use it with each other almost as a term of endearment. However, when they do, it’s usually only used around close friends and family.
You can also refer to baby animals as 새끼 without it being a profanity. For example, 새끼 고양이 (saekki goyangi) would mean “kitten”.
Outside of these two situations, however, 새끼 can be used as a swear word. To be more precise, it’s a curse word when you use it in relation to people.
Example:
- 그 새끼 봤어? (Geu saekki bwasseo?) – “Did you see that son of a bitch?”
3. 개새끼 (kaesaekki): “Son of a bitch”
To build on 새끼, 개새끼 (gaesaekki) literally means “son of a dog” (개 = dog, 새끼 = baby, offspring). It’s used like “son of a bitch” in English. If you want to refer to someone in a degrading way, this is probably the best word to do so.
Example:
너 진짜 개새끼야! (Neo jinjja gaesaekkiya!) – “You’re such a son of a bitch!”
4. 미친 놈 (Michin nom): “Crazy bastard”
미친 놈 (michin nom) is another swear word in Korean.
Like 새끼, it’s not always used in a negative way, though it’s never used in formal situations or with higher ranking people. For instance, you could say to one of your friends “얘 진짜 미친 놈이야” (yae jinjja michin nomiya), which translates to something like “that guy’s crazy funny”.
Broken down, 얘 if very informal and means “that guy, that person”, 진짜 means “really”, 미친 means “crazy”, and 놈 means “guy”.
Like most languages, it depends on your tone and who you’re talking to when you use these sayings.
For those who want to use it as a swear word, when used as a profanity, 미친 is more similar to “psycho” in English and 놈 refers to a man or guy, often in a derogatory way. The combination of these two words forms an insult similar to “crazy bastard” in English.
You can also say 미친년 (michin nyeon) for a woman, which is similar to “crazy bitch” in English.
Example:
- 그 미친 놈 뭐야? (Geu michin nom mwo-ya?) – “What’s up with that crazy bastard?”
5. 병신 (Byeong-shin) – “Idiot” or “Retard”
The word 병신 (byeongshin) is a derogatory term that can mean “idiot” or “retard.” Like the English “retard”, be very careful with this word, as it’s extremely offensive and many people with disabilities don’t like the term. The word originally refers to someone with a physical disability but has evolved into a common insult for calling someone stupid or foolish.
There are also a couple of similar terms like, 또라이 (ddorai), which means “wack”, “weirdo”, “freak”, “pervert” or “stupid” (usually in relation to ideas), and 바보 (babo), which is a very well-known phrase among K-Drama fans.
This means “idiot”, but is a lot less harsh. For example, a cute common phrase is 딸바보 (ddalbabo), which means “a daughter’s fool”, and refers to parents (usually the father) who loves his daughter so much that he indulges her every whim.
Example:
- 넌 진짜 병신이야! (Neon jinjja byeong-shin-i-ya!) – “You’re such an idiot!”
- 야 이 또라이야! 너 미쳤어? (Ya i ddoraiya! Neo michyeosseo?) – “Hey you freak! Are you crazy?”
Here’s a funny cartoon of a child using 바보:
Korean:
“친구를 바보라고 부르면 안돼요” (Chingureul babo-rago bureumyeon andwaeyo)
“그럼 바보에게 친구라고 하는건요?” (Geureom babo-ege chingu-rago haneungeon-yo?)
“그건 상관 없어요-” (Geugeon sangwan eopseoyo)
“안녕 친구야?” (Annyeong chinguya?)
English:
“You shouldn’t call your friend a fool.”
“Then what about calling a fool a friend?”
“That doesn’t matter-“
[turns to idiot/friend]
“Hi, friend!”
6. 꺼져 (Kkeojyeo): “Fuck Off” or “Get Lost”
꺼져 (kkeojyeo) is a direct way to tell someone to go away, equivalent to “fuck off” or “get lost” in English. It’s not as strong as some of the other swear words but still impolite and can be hurtful when directed at someone.
This phrase is more common in heated arguments or when you want to rudely dismiss someone.
Example:
- 야 뭐야? 꺼져! (Ya mweoya? Keo-jyeo!) – “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Fuck off!”
7. 지랄 (Jiral) – “Bullshit” or “Nonsense”
지랄 (jiral) is a Korean profanity used to call out bullshit or tell someone they’re talking nonsense. It’s often used when you find someone’s behavior frustrating or ridiculous. While it’s not the strongest swear word, it’s still considered impolite.
Example:
- 지랄 하지마! (Jiral hajima!) – “Stop talking bullshit!”
Here’s a clip of 지랄 being used in a drama called 스토브리그 (seutobeuligeu; Hot Stove League).
Korean:
“지랄하네 아이씨” (jiralhanae aissi)
“야 팀장 너 선 넘었어 지금!” (ya timjang neo seon neomeosseo jigeum)
“선은 니가 넘었어!” (seoneun niga neomeosseo!)
Translation:
“Bullshit, fu-“
“Hey boss (team leader), you just crossed the line now!”
“You’re the one who crossed the line!”
8. 좆 (Jot): “Dick”
좆 (jot) is a vulgar term that refers to male genitalia, similar to the English word “dick”. Like its English counterpart, it can be used as a derogatory term or an insult. It’s usually combined with other words.
For example, 좆같다 (jotgatda) means “this sucks” or “this is shit”. When used in relation to a situation, it’s used like “this sucks ass” or “this sucks dick” in English. Note that this is in the verb form; you’ll usually need to conjugate it to use it properly, as you can see in the example below.
You can also say 좆되다 (jotdwaeda; verb form). This means “to be fucked” or “to be in trouble”. You usually use it to say “I’m fucked” or “I’m screwed”.
You can also use this to someone if you want to insult them. For instance, you can say “좆 같은 놈” (jot gateun nom), which means “piece of shit” or “motherfucker”.
Example:
- 이거 진짜 좆같아. (Igeo jinjja jotgata.) – “This really sucks.”
- 시험 날짜가 오늘이라고? 좆되네. (siheom naljjaga oneulirago? Jotdwaene) – “Did you say the date for the exam is today?! I’m screwed.”
9. 좆나 (jotna): “As Fuck”
좆나 (jotna) is also a very common expression, which means “fuck”. It’s derived from 좆 (jot; penis). Literally, the term comes from 좆 나다 (jot nada). As 나다 means to grow, this means to get an erection. However, it’s used like “as fuck” in English.
For example, you can say 존나 맛있다 (jonna masitda) or 존나 잘 생겼어 (jonna jal saenggyeosseo). These mean “tasty as fuck” and “handsome as fuck” respectively.
Notice the slight difference in spelling. Whilst the correct spelling is 좆나, 존나 is very widely used nowadays because both words have the same pronunciation.
Less Offensive Korean Phrases and Insults
In addition to the swear words above, Korean has a number of insulting phrases that, while not swear words in themselves, can still be used to offend someone. Let’s take a look at some of these.
1. 나쁜 놈 (Nappeun nom): “Bad Guy”
나쁜 놈 (nappeun nom) translates to “bad guy” and is used as a mild insult. While not as intense as some of the other words on this list, it’s still offensive when used in the right context.
Example:
- 이리와봐 이 나쁜 놈아. (Irlwabwa i nappeun noma.) – “Come here you bad guy.”
2. 멍청이 (Meongcheongi): “Fool” or “Dummy”
멍청이 (meongcheongi) is a less severe insult that means “fool” or “dummy.” It’s often used in a more playful or teasing manner but can still be hurtful if used too harshly.
Example:
- 너 진짜 멍청이야. (Neo jinjja meongcheongiya.) – “You’re such a fool.”
3. 똥개 (ddonggae): Mongrel, mutt
In a similar vein, 똥개 (ddonggae), which means mongrel or mutt, is often used in a playful way to relatives. However, if you were to use it to someone you aren’t close with, this would be considered offensive.
4. 죽을래? (Jukeullae?): “Do You Want to Die?”
죽을래? (jukeullae?) is a phrase that translates to “Do you want to die?” While it may sound harsh, it’s often used in a joking or exaggerated manner among close friends. However, in serious situations, it would be used as a very serious threat.
Example:
- 죽을래? 나한테 덤비지 마! (Jukeullae? Nahante deombiji ma!) – “Do you want to die? Don’t mess with me!”
5. 빡치다 (Bbakchida): “To Be Pissed Off”
빡치다 (bbakchida) is a slang expression that means to be extremely angry or pissed off. It’s used informally, usually in casual conversations among friends.
Example:
- 나 진짜 빡쳤어. (Na jinjja bbakchyeosseo.) – “I’m really pissed off.”
Now Combine Swear Words
Just like in English, there are countless curse word combinations in Korean. Try mixing and matching the different profanities on this list to come up with your own creative swear words. For instance, you could say “죽을래 니 개새끼야 씨발” (jugeullae ni gaesaekkiya ssibal) and be perfectly understood. 씨발 새끼야 (shibal saekkiya) is also frequently used together.