완벽
wanbyeok[wa̠nbjʌ̹k̚]
The English word perfection is translated into Korean as 완벽 (wanbyeok). Wiktionary also lists 완전 (wanjeon).
Meaning: being perfect (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 완벽 | wanbyeok | [wa̠nbjʌ̹k̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 완전 | wanjeon | [wa̠ɲd͡ʑʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
완벽 is used to describe the state of being flawless or complete. If you want to describe an action being performed in a perfect manner, you should use the adverbial form 완벽하게 to mean "perfectly".
Which one should you use?
완벽 refers to the state of being flawless or complete, whereas 완전 refers more to being whole or entire.
How do you pronounce it?
wanbyeok
Did you know?
- In historical contexts, the term 완벽 stems from the legend of a man who successfully returned a precious jade disk to a king without a single scratch. This story is the very origin of the word used to describe perfection today.
- Because 완전 is used to mean 'completely' or 'totally' in modern slang, you might hear young people use it as an adverb to emphasize almost anything, similar to how English speakers use 'totally'.
- In Korean, perfection is often discussed alongside the concept of 정성, which refers to the heart and sincerity put into a task regardless of the final result.
Examples in context
- 그 작품은 완벽함을 띠고 있다.That artwork embodies perfection.
- 그들은 틀림없이 완벽한 결과물을 선보였다.They unquestionably presented a perfect outcome.
- 이번 앨범 짱이다!This album is perfect!
- 그 영화는 최고야!That movie is perfect/the best!
- 완벽을 추구하는 것은 힘들어요.wan-byeok-eul chu-gu-ha-neun geo-seun him-deul-eo-yo.Seeking perfection is difficult.
Example conversation
현우 and 지은 are discussing a finished design project.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo디자인이 정말 완벽하네요!di-ja-in-i jeong-mal wan-byeok-ha-ne-yo!The design is absolute perfection!
- 지은 Ji-eun고마워요, 현우 씨. 열심히 만들었어요.go-ma-wo-yo, hyeon-u ssi. yeol-sim-hi man-deul-eo-sseo-yo.Thank you, Hyunwoo. I worked hard on it.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo지은 씨의 실력은 정말 대단해요.ji-eun ssi-ui sil-lyeok-eun jeong-mal dae-dan-hae-yo.Ji-eun, your skills are truly amazing.
- 지은 Ji-eun그렇게 말해주니 기쁘네요.geu-reot-ge mal-hae-ju-ni gi-ppeu-ne-yo.I'm happy to hear you say that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “perfection” translations and entries 완벽, 완전, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 완벽, 완전, CC BY-SA 4.0.
