예쁜 여자
yeppeun yeoja
예쁜 여자 (yeppeun yeoja) is the Korean phrase for "beautiful girl".
This phrase is used to describe a female person who is physically attractive. In this context, the word 여자 is commonly used to refer to both girls and women, as there is no direct equivalent to the English distinction between 'girl' and 'woman' that is as strictly used in this specific phrase.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective 예쁜 (pretty) and the noun 여자 (woman/female).
Which one should you use?
While 예쁜 여자 is a descriptive phrase meaning "a pretty woman", the single noun 미녀 is a more formal or literary way to refer to a "beauty".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective 예쁘다 (to be pretty) is used in its attributive form 예쁜 to modify the noun 여자.
How do you pronounce it?
yeppeun yeoja
Did you know?
- In modern Korean slang, the phrase 존예 is used to mean 'extremely beautiful'. It is a vulgar intensification of 예쁘다 and should only be used among very close friends.
- If you want to say 'beautiful girl' in a very cute, playful way, you might change the adjective to 예뿐 to reflect a stylized, 'aegyo' way of speaking.
- The word 여자 literally translates to 'female offspring' because it combines the character for 'female' with the character for 'child'.
Examples in context
- 그 여자는 정말 아름다운 여자예요.That girl is truly a beautiful girl.
- 나의 여동생은 정말 이쁜 여자야!My younger sister is a really beautiful girl!
- 저기 그 여학생은 참 아름다워.That female student over there is really beautiful.
- 그는 정말 예쁜 여자를 좋아해요.geuneun jeongmal yeppeun yeojareul joahaeyo.He really likes beautiful girls.
- 저기 예쁜 여자가 지나가요.jeogi yeppeun yeojaga jinagayo.A beautiful girl is passing by there.
- 제 친구는 아주 예쁜 여자예요.je chinguneun aju yeppeun yeojayeyo.My friend is a very beautiful girl.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are talking about a celebrity in a movie.
- 민준 Min-jun이 영화에 나오는 여배우 정말 예쁜 여자네요.i yeonghwaye naoneun yeobaewu jeongmal yeppeun yeojaneyo.The actress in this movie is a really beautiful girl.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맞아요, 정말 아름다워요.majayo, jeongmal areumdawoyo.That's true, she is truly beautiful.
- 민준 Min-jun민준 씨도 예쁜 여자를 좋아하죠?Minjun ssido yeppeun yeojareul joahajyo?You like beautiful girls too, right Minjun?
- 서연 Seo-yeon그건 누구나 다 그렇죠.geugeon nuguna da geureochyo.Everyone is like that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 여자, CC BY-SA 4.0.
