나 잘생겼어
na jalsaenggyeosseo
The English phrase "I am handsome" is translated into Korean as 나 잘생겼어 (na jalsaenggyeosseo).
This phrase is a statement used by a man to express that he is physically attractive. Note that 잘생겼어 is specifically used for men. If you are describing a woman, it is more natural to use words like 예뻐 (pretty) or 아름다워 (beautiful).
What does it mean word for word?
The core descriptor 잘생겼어 literally means "was born well", where 잘 means "well" and 생겼어 is a past tense form of a verb meaning "to be born" or "to appear".
How do you pronounce it?
na jalsaenggyeosseo
Did you know?
- While 잘생겼어 is for men, the term 꽃미남 (flower boy) describes a specific type of feminine male beauty that is highly prized in modern Korean culture.
- Some linguists suggest that the pronoun 나 might be related to the ancient Japanese word for 'I', 己 (na). While not proven, it suggests an incredibly deep connection between these languages that dates back thousands of years.
- The word 잘생겼어 is often used by men in a playful or ironic way to fish for compliments rather than as a serious statement of fact.
Examples in context
- 내가 제일 잘생겼어!I am the most handsome!
- 나 잘생겼어, 인정해줘.na jal-saeng-gyeoss-eo, in-jeong-hae-jwo.I am handsome, admit it.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo is playfully teasing Subin about his looks.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈아, 나 잘생겼어?subin-a, na jal-saeng-gyeoss-eo?Subin, am I handsome?
- 수빈 Su-bin현우야, 너 진짜 잘생겼어.hyunwoo-ya, neo jin-jja jal-saeng-gyeoss-eo.Hyunwoo, you are truly handsome.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo역시 나 잘생겼어!yeok-si na jal-saeng-gyeoss-eo!As expected, I am handsome!
- 수빈 Su-bin그래, 정말 멋있어.geu-rae, jeong-mal meos-iss-eo.Sure, you are very cool.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나, CC BY-SA 4.0.
