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Featured Korean slang terms

The 10 foundational slang terms every learner encounters first. Each has its own dedicated reference page with definition, romanization, IPA pronunciation, and the social register where it actually fits.

• 대박
  daebak
  A versatile expression meaning "awesome," "amazing," or "wow!" used to react to surprising or impressive things.
• 오빠
  oppa
  Used by females to address an older male — biological older brother, older male friend, romantic partner, or favorite male celebrity.
• 사랑해
  saranghae
  "I love you" in informal Korean — used between close friends, family, and romantic partners.
• 예쁘다
  yeppeuda
  "Pretty," "cute," or "lovely" — the standard Korean adjective for visual beauty.
• 최애
  choeae
  "Absolute favorite" or "ultimate bias" — the K-pop fandom term for your #1 favorite member, group, character, or thing.
• 슬프다
  seulpeuda
  "Sad" or "to be sad" — Korean's standard adjective for sadness, sorrow, or melancholy.
• 인연
  inyeon
  "Bond / connection / fated tie" — the Buddhist-rooted concept of meaningful relationships across encounters, popularized in the West by the 2023 film "Past Lives."
• 떡볶이
  tteokbokki
  Spicy stir-fried rice cakes — Korea's most beloved street food, a chewy red dish made with cylindrical rice cakes in gochujang sauce.
• 막내
  mangnae
  "Youngest" — the youngest member of a Korean group, family, workplace, or any defined social unit.
• 셀카
  selka
  "Selfie" in Korean — short for 셀프카메라 ("self camera"). The default word for self-portrait photos.

Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary →