천재
cheonjae[t͡ɕʰʌ̹ɲd͡ʑɛ]
The Korean word for "genius" is 천재 (cheonjae).
천재 is a noun used to refer to someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or skill. If you want to describe a person's quality or an action as being "genius-like", you should use the form 천재적이다.
Meaning: someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or skill (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
cheonjae
Did you know?
- In Korean, 천재 can also refer to a 'natural disaster' when written with different Hanja characters, though it sounds exactly the same.
- While 천재 means 'genius', the Korean language has a specific term 괴물 meaning 'monster' to describe someone whose skill is so overwhelming it is frightening.
- In a more casual or slang-heavy context, young people might use the word 갓 (God) as a prefix to emphasize an incredible talent, creating terms like 'God-genius'.
Examples in context
- 너 천재구나.You're a genius.Tatoeba #8985144 by Eunhee, translation #2207264 by Hybrid
- 그는 천재인 것이 분명하다.He is clearly a genius.
- 그는 천재적인 두뇌를 가지고 있어요.He has a genius-level intellect.
- 이 친구는 천재 넘버원이야!This friend of mine is a genius, number one!
- 그 애는 잘난 척 하는 놈이야, 사실 별로 잘하지도 않아.That kid pretends to be a genius, but in reality, they're not particularly talented.
- 그는 음악 분야의 천재예요.geuneun eumak bunyaui cheonjaeyeyo.He is a genius in the field of music.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are talking about a famous pianist.
- 민준 Min-jun그 피아니스트는 정말 천재예요.geu pianiseuteuneun jeongmal cheonjaeyeyo.That pianist is truly a genius.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 연주가 정말 놀라워요.mayayo, yeonjuga jeongmal nollawayo.That's right, the performance is amazing.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨도 그렇게 생각하죠?minji ssido geureoke saenggakhajyo?You think so too, Minji?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 정말 대단한 사람이에요.ne, jeongmal daedanhan saramieyo.Yes, he is a truly great person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “genius” translations and entries 천재, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
