Korean Terms/Phrases

I know you want one. I’ve been using a lot of Korean terminology in my blog posts, just because I can, and though I usually explain what they mean, I decided that I could just write a page on different terms I’ve used or will probably use at one point. Sound good? I’ll update it every now and then to add new words. I’m still learning too! Here we go!

Annyeong!-“Hi” or “Bye,” used towards friends.

Fighting!-Actually, since Koreans can’t really pronounce the “f” sound, they say “Hwaiting!” Either way, it basically means “Good luck!” or “Go get ’em!” It’s like a word of encouragement or a cheer. It can be preceded by the words, “Aja! Aja!” It’s often used to get pumped up for something or to encourage yourself or others.

Daebak-A slang term that basically means “The Best!” It can also be used to mean something along the lines of “Awesome!” It literally means “Big Win” and used to be used when you won the lottery or something

Jjang(pronounced jahng)-This means basically the same thing as Daebak. Also spelled Zzang.

Uljjang-This is basically a combination of “Ul” and “Jjang”, which mean “Face” and “Best.” So, “Best Face.” It’s a term used to describe someone that is especially good-looking, or is famous because they’re good-looking. Like FT Island’s Jonghun, and TVXQ’s Jaejoong, and F.Cuz’s Lee U. Just a few examples. Also spelled ulzzang.

Manse!(pronounced mahn-say)-The Korean version of “Hooray!” basically.

Saranghae-It means “I love you,” with sarang meaning “love.” It shows up at least once in every song, I’d say.

Hyung– This is a term used by males to other, older males. Technically means older brother, but it can also be used for any guys older than you that you are close to.

Oppa-This is the same thing as “hyung”, only used by females. Girls also often use this as a title for their boyfriend, so be careful when talking to guys, or they’ll get the wrong idea. Nuff said.

Noona-A term used by males to older females they are close with, or an older sister. Often used as a title for their girlfriend.

Unni-The term for females used towards older females, or older sisters.

Dongsaeng-A younger person or sibling you are close with–either girl or boy, for either girls or boys.

Aish/Aigoo-Both are used as something along the lines of “Oh my gosh” or “Holy cow” or as a verbal sigh. Like, “Aish, it’s cold!” or “You’re kidding! Aigoo!” Pronounced “Ah-ee-sh” and “Ah-ee-goo”

Joha-Good. So when I say “cham joha!” I’m saying “very good!” or “awesome!”

Yeppeo-Pretty. Like in the song “Noona Neomu Yeppeo” by SHINee (also called Replay), which translates to “Noona is Very Pretty.”

Noraebang-It’s basically a karaoke room. They are extremely popular in Korea, and I wish they were here. In the words of a fellow blogger, “It’s an area people pay to go to to sing songs in a private room. Within the rooms is a phone where one can order food and drinks. Each room has a number of microphones and song books; one picks a song to sing by inputing the number.” Awesome, right? (Def. from staypuff.net)

Assa!-Basically means “yay!” or “hooray!”

Omo-This is the Korean version of “Oh my gosh,” pretty much

Aegyo-It’s basically the act of being cute. Not just in looks, but acting cute. K-pop artists often tell each other to show off their aegyo for the fans and so on.