심술궂은
simsulgujeun
The English word grumpy can be translated into Korean as 심술궂은 (simsulgujeun).
심술궂은 is used to describe someone who is dissatisfied, irritable or possesses an ill-natured character.
Meaning: dissatisfied and irritable (adj)
Which one should you use?
심술궂은 (simsulgujeun) is used to describe a person's character or a specific state of being ill-natured.
How do you pronounce it?
simsulgujeun
Did you know?
- The word 심술 is composed of the character 심 (心) meaning 'heart' and 술 (術) meaning 'art' or 'technique'. This suggests that being grumpy is almost a 'skill' or a 'method' of the heart.
- While 심술궂은 describes a character trait, Koreans use the word 까칠하다 (kkachil-hada) for a 'prickly' or 'grumpy' mood. This word originally describes a rough surface, like a coarse fabric or a scratchy material.
- In Korean culture, being described as 심술궂은 can sometimes imply a playful or even cute form of naughtiness, especially when used toward children or in romantic contexts.
Examples in context
- 그는 자꾸 화를 내요.He keeps getting angry/grumpy.
- 오늘 아침 일어나니까 친구가 완전히 까칠해 보여서 놀랐어요.When I woke up this morning, my friend seemed extremely grumpy, so I was surprised.
- 그 아이는 정말 심술궂은 성격이에요.geu ai-neun jeongmal simsulgjeun seonggyeok-ieyo.That child has a really grumpy personality.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo is acting irritable at home.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo왜 그렇게 심술궂은 얼굴을 하고 있어?wae geureoke simsulgujeun eolgureul hago isseo?Why do you have such a grumpy face?
- 지은 Ji-eun그냥 잠을 제대로 못 자서 그래.geunyang jameul jedaero mot jaseo geurae.It's just because I didn't sleep well.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo기분 풀어. 맛있는 거 먹으러 갈까?gibun pureo. masinneun geo meogeureo galkka?Cheer up. Shall we go eat something delicious?
- 지은 Ji-eun그래, 좋은 생각이야. 가자!geurae, joeun saenggagiya. gaja!Yes, that's a great idea. Let's go!
