Today I’m going to share a list of the coolest Konglish words with examples.
They’ll help you learn the language fast and make tons of Korean friends.
I start with my favorites and organize the rest by situation.
Key Takeaways
- Konglish is the combination of Korean plus English.
- Koreans have been using it since the early 1900s.
- Not all Konglish is derived from English. A lot of it comes from German or is the same in Japanese.
- Like Onomatopoeia, Konglish is unique and a lot of fun.
- Sometimes they’re better than English words at describing situations. (See “Skinship”)
If you listen to a Korean conversation, you’ll hear some English words. But, they might not mean what you think.
Good news: Koreans use loanwords, or borrowed words from English. So you already know some Korean!
Bad news: They sometimes take those loanwords and use them in ways only Koreans can.
(Like how Wienerschnitzel in North America is a bastardized version of German food)
Fun fact: The word Konglish itself is sort of Konglish.
My Favorites
Burberry (버버리/바바리) | Trench Coat
This one comes from the brand, but has a funny spinoff that Burberry PR might not appreciate. A “Burberry man” is slang for flasher in Korean.
Dutch pay (더치페이) | Splitting the bill
When dating in Korea, the guy usually pays. If the girl likes him, she can buy coffee after. I’ve asked Dutch people and they have no idea why they get singled out here. Maybe it has something to do with their ovens?
Fighting (화이팅) | Cheer up / cheer (at a sporting event)
This one is confusing the first time you hear it. But, it’s pretty catchy and useful in many situations.
Glamour (글래머) | Buxom woman
Usually accompanied by wavy hand gestures that provide context clues.
Hop (호프) | Beer bar
Everywhere in Korea. I expected tasty German beer the first time I went, but they mostly serve domestic brands. Might originate from the fact that some Koreans went to Germany in the 70s for work.
Hunting (헌팅) | Pick up (at a bar/club)
Sounds more aggressive than it is. Often used by a small group of guys looking for a similar-sized group of girls.
Meeting (미팅) | Blind date
These can range from 1:1 to 20:20. I’ve seen long tables with girls and boys on opposite sides in more than a few places. Koreans don’t have awkward school dances, so a lot of the inter-gender socialization happens in uni. The younger the group, the larger the number of people.
Panty (팬티) | Underwear for both genders
I was surprised when a Korean guy asked me what kind I wear. This includes boxer shorts as well.
Service (서비스) | On the house
A welcome surprise when someone brings you a full plate of delicious bar food (안주) for free. Makes you fall in love with the country.
Skinship (스킨십) | Intimacy
So simple, yet so genius. It describes exactly what it is with maximum efficiency.
Dating/Socializing
Konglish is great for dating and socializing.
| Konglish | Meaning in English |
| Complex (콤플렉스) | Insecurity / Sense of inferiority |
| Dash (대시) | Ask someone out |
| Dutch pay (더치페이) | Splitting the bill |
| Event (이벤트) | Dating spectacle (flowers, musical performance in public place) |
| Fighting (화이팅) | Cheer up / cheer (at a sporting event) |
| Glamour (글래머) | Buxom woman |
| Healing (힐링) | Recuperating / resting |
| Hop (호프) | Beer bar |
| Hunting (헌팅) | Pick up (at a bar/club) |
| Meeting (미팅) | Blind date |
| Ment (멘트) | Comment |
| Morning call (모닝콜) | Wake-up call |
| MT (엠티) | Team building trip |
| Night (나이트) | Nightclub |
| One shot (원샷) | Bottoms up |
| Over (오버) | Exaggerate(usually acting overdramatic) |
| Overeat (오바이트) | Vomit |
| Pocket ball (포켓볼) | Pool / Billiards |
| Sel-ca (셀카) | Selfie |
| Sense (센스) | Wit / Tact |
| Skinship (스킨십) | Intimacy |
| SNS | Social media |
| Solo (솔로) | Single |
| Visual (비주얼) | Appearance |
Shopping/Grooming/Cosmetics
Shopping, gift giving and cosmetics are a big deal in Korea.
| Konglish | Meaning in English |
| Acetone (아세톤) | Nail polish remover |
| Burberry (버버리) | Trench coat |
| Carrier (캐리어) | Suitcase |
| DC (디씨) | Discount |
| Event (이벤트) | Sale |
| Eye shopping (아이쇼핑) | Window shopping |
| Fancy (팬시) | Stationary |
| Hand phone (핸드폰) | Cell phone |
| Holder (홀더) | Sleeve for cup (at a café) |
| Hood tee (후드티) | Hoodie |
| Hotchkiss (호치키스) | Stapler |
| Key holder (키홀더) | Key chain |
| Kickboard (킥보드) | Kick scooter |
| Lens (렌즈) | Contacts |
| Magic (매직) | Permanent marker or hair straightening |
| Maker (메이커) | Brand-name |
| Man to man (맨투맨) | Sweat shirt |
| Manicure (매니큐어) | Nail polish |
| Muffler (머플러/마후라) | Scarf (only old people use this) |
| One-piece (원피스) | Dress |
| Padding (패딩) | Padded down jacket / Coat |
| Pama (파마) | Hair perm |
| Panty (팬티) | Underwear for both genders |
| Panty-stocking (팬티스타킹) | Pantyhose |
| Rinse (린스) | Conditioner |
| Running shirt (러닝셔츠) | Undershirt |
| Sale (세일) | Discount |
| Skin (스킨) | Toner |
| Suncream (선크림) | Sunscreen/sunblock |
| Super (슈퍼) | Supermarket / Corner store |
| Two piece (투피스) | Skirt or pants and top |
| Vinyl bag (비닐백) | Plastic bag |
| Y-shirt (와이셔츠) | Dress shirt |
Complete List of 137 Konglish Words
Here’s a list of Konglish in alphabetical order!
| Konglish | Meaning in English | |
| A/S | Warranty service | Same in Japanese |
| Acetone (아세톤) | Nail polish remover | |
| Ad-balloon (애드벌룬) | Advertising balloon | Same in Japanese |
| Aggro (어그로) | Attacking / Trolling | |
| Aircon (에어컨) | Air conditioner | |
| Aizen (아이젠) | Climbing irons | From German |
| Allergi (알레르기) | Allergy | From German |
| Apart (아파트) | Apartment | Same in Japanese |
| Arbeit (아르바이트) | Part-time job | From German |
| Autobi (오토바이) | Motorcycle | Same in Japanese |
| Back mirror (백미러) | Rear-view mirror | Same in Japanese |
| Ball pen (볼펜) | Ballpoint pen | |
| Band (밴드) | Band-Aid | |
| Blind (블라인드) | Window shade | Same in Japanese |
| Bond (본드) | Glue | Same in Japanese |
| Burberry (버버리) | Trench coat | Same in Japanese |
| Career woman (커리어우먼) | Woman who works | Same in Japanese |
| Carrier (캐리어) | Suitcase | |
| Carry (캐리) | To singlehandedly make a project successful | |
| CCTV | Surveillance camera | |
| Centi (센치) | Centimeter | Same in Japanese |
| CF | Commercial | Same in Japanese |
| Cider (사이다) | Lemon-lime soda | Same in Japanese |
| Circle (써클) | Student club | Same in Japanese |
| Complex (콤플렉스) | Insecurity / Sense of inferiority | Same in Japanese |
| Concent (콘센트) | Electrical outlet | Same in Japanese |
| Cunning (컨닝) | Copying during a test | |
| Cutline (커트라인) | Cut-off line | |
| Dash (대시) | Ask someone out | Same in Japanese |
| DC (디씨) | Discount | |
| Di-ca (디카) | Digital camera | |
| Driver (드라이버) | Screw driver | |
| Dutch pay (더치페이) | Splitting the bill | |
| Electronic range (전자렌지) | Microwave | Same in Japanese |
| Ero (에로) | Lewd | |
| Event (이벤트) | Dating spectacle (flowers, musical performance in public place) | |
| Event (이벤트) | Sale | |
| Eye shopping (아이쇼핑) | Window shopping | Same in Japanese |
| Fancy (팬시) | Stationary | Same in Japanese |
| Fighting (화이팅) | Cheer up / cheer (at a sporting event) | Same in Japanese |
| Gagman (개그맨) | Comedian | Same in Japanese |
| Gagwoman (개그우먼) | Female comedian | |
| Game machine (게임기) | Game console | |
| Gas range (가스렌지) | Gas stove | From German |
| Gibs (깁스) | Cast (for broken bones) | Same in Japanese |
| Glamour (글래머) | Buxom woman | |
| Goal in (골인) | Goal | |
| Hand phone (핸드폰) | Cell phone | Same in Japanese |
| Handle (자동차 핸들) | Steering wheel | |
| Healing (힐링) | Recuperating / resting | |
| Health (헬스) | Workout | Same in Japanese |
| Health club (헬스클럽/헬스장) | Gym | |
| Hoil (호일) | Foil | |
| Holder (홀더) | Sleeve for cup (at a café) | From German |
| Hood tee (후드티) | Hoodie | |
| Hop (호프) | Beer bar | Same in Japanese |
| Hotchkiss (호치키스) | Stapler | |
| Hotdog (핫도그) | Corndog | |
| Hunting (헌팅) | Pick up (at a bar/club) | From German |
| Ideologi (이데올로기) | Ideology | Same in Japanese |
| Key holder (키홀더) | Key chain | |
| Kickboard (킥보드) | Kick scooter | |
| Kitchen towel (키친타올) | Paper towel | |
| Klaxon (크락션) | Car horn | |
| Lens (렌즈) | Contacts | |
| Magic (매직) | Permanent marker or hair straightening | |
| Maker (메이커) | Brand-name | |
| Man to man (맨투맨) | Sweat shirt | Same in Japanese |
| Manicure (매니큐어) | Nail polish | |
| Mass com (매스컴) | Mass media | |
| McDonald (맥도날드) | McDonald’s | |
| Meeting (미팅) | Blind date | Same in Japanese |
| Ment (멘트) | Comment | |
| Morning call (모닝콜) | Wake-up call | |
| MT (엠티) | Team building trip | |
| Muffler (머플러/마후라) | Scarf (only old people use this) | |
| Multi-tab (멀티탭) | Power strip | |
| Night (나이트) | Nightclub | |
| Note (노트) | Notebook | Same in Japanese |
| Notebook (노트북) | Laptop | |
| Officetel (오피스텔) | Apartment that can be used as an office | Same in Japanese |
| One room (원룸) | Studio apartment | Same in Japanese |
| One shot (원샷) | Bottoms up | |
| One-piece (원피스) | Dress | |
| Open car (오픈카) | Convertible | |
| Over (오버) | Exaggerate(usually acting overdramatic) | |
| Overeat (오바이트) | Vomit | |
| Padding (패딩) | Padded down jacket / Coat | |
| Pama (파마) | Hair perm | |
| Panty (팬티) | Underwear for both genders | |
| Panty-stocking (팬티스타킹) | Pantyhose | |
| Pocket ball (포켓볼) | Pool / Billiards | |
| Poclain (포크레인) | Excavator | |
| Pop Song (팝송) | Popular English song | Same in Japanese |
| Pro (프로) | Percent | Same in Japanese |
| Punk (펑크) | Flat tire | |
| Remocon (리모컨) | Remote control | |
| Report (레포트) | Term paper | Same in Japanese |
| Ribbon (리본) | Bow | |
| Ringer (링거) | IV (hospital) | Same in Japanese |
| Rinse (린스) | Conditioner | |
| Rotary (로터리) | Roundabout | |
| Running machine (러닝머신) | Treadmill | |
| Running shirt (러닝셔츠) | Undershirt | |
| Salaryman (샐러리맨) | Business person | |
| Sale (세일) | Discount | Same in Japanese |
| Sel-ca (셀카) | Selfie | Same in Japanese |
| Self (셀프) | Self-service | Same in Japanese |
| Sense (센스) | Wit / Tact | |
| Service (서비스) | On the house | |
| Set menu (세트메뉴) | Combo | |
| Sharp (샤프) | Mechanical pencil | Same in Japanese |
| Sign (싸인) | Autograph | Same in Japanese |
| Sign pen (싸인펜) | Marker pen | |
| Skin (스킨) | Toner | |
| Skin scuba (스킨스쿠버) | Skin diving / Scuba diving | Same in Japanese |
| Skinship (스킨십) | Intimacy | |
| SNS | Social media | Same in Japanese |
| Solo (솔로) | Single | Same in Japanese |
| Soul food (소울푸드) | Comfort food | Same in Japanese |
| Stand (스탠드) | Desk lamp | Same in Japanese |
| Suncream (선크림) | Sunscreen/sunblock | |
| Sunting (썬팅) | Window tinting | |
| Super (슈퍼) | Supermarket / Corner store | Same in Japanese |
| Talent (탤런트) | Actor/actress | |
| Telebi (테레비) | TV(older generation uses it) | |
| Two piece (투피스) | Skirt or pants and top | |
| Variety (버라이어티) | Variety TV show | |
| Villa (빌라) | Small condominium(often not upscale) | Same in Japanese |
| Vinyl bag (비닐백) | Plastic bag | |
| Vinyl house (비닐하우스) | Greenhouse | |
| Visual (비주얼) | Appearance | |
| Webtoon (웹툰) | Web comic | |
| Whipping cream (휘핑크림) | Whipped cream | |
| Working mom (워킹맘) | Mother who has a job | |
| Wrap (랩) | Plastic wrap | |
| Y-shirt (와이셔츠) | Dress shirt |
Did I miss anything?
Now I want to hear from you.
Let me know which Konglish terms are your favorite in the comments below!
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