사이코패스
saikopaeseu
The English word 'psychopath' is translated into Korean as 사이코패스 (saikopaeseu) or 정신병질자.
Meaning: person with a personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 사이코패스 | saikopaeseu |
| 정신병질자 | jeongsinbyeongjilja |
Both terms refer to a person with a personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 정신병질자 is composed of 정신 (mind/spirit), 병 (disease/illness), the suffix 질 (denoting a quality or state) and 자 (person/individual).
Which one should you use?
사이코패스 is a loanword from English and is the most common way to refer to a psychopath in everyday conversation or media. In contrast, 정신병질자 is a more formal, clinical or literary term.
How do you pronounce it?
saikopaeseu
Did you know?
- In Korean pop culture and social media, the term 사이코패스 is often used jokingly to describe someone with extremely precise or obsessive standards, rather than a clinical disorder.
- The term 정신병질자 uses the character 질 (jil), which can sometimes carry a derogatory or dismissive connotation in Korean, making it sound much harsher than a neutral clinical term in English.
- While 사이코패스 is used for the clinical concept, if you want to call someone a 'psycho' in a colloquial, insulting way, Koreans often use the word 사이코 (saiko).
Examples in context
- 그 사람 정말 사이코패스 같아.That person really seems like a psychopath.
- 난 사이코패스 영화를 좋아해.I enjoy watching psychopath movies.
- 그는 정말 사이코패스 같아요.geuneun jeongmal saikopaeseu gatayo.He is truly like a psychopath.
- 영화 속의 사이코패스가 너무 무서워요.yeonghwa sogui saikopaeseuga neomu museowoyo.The psychopath in the movie is so scary.
- 사이코패스는 공감 능력이 부족합니다.saikopaeseuneun gonggam neungnyeogi bujokhamnida.A psychopath lacks empathy.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are discussing a crime documentary.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이 범인은 완전 사이코패스네요.i beomineun wanjeon saikopaesuneyo.This criminal is a total psychopath.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요, 정말 무서운 사람이네요.majayo, jeongmal museoun saramineyo.Right, he is a truly scary person.
- 도현 Do-hyeon어떻게 그렇게 냉정할 수 있죠?eotteoke geureoke naengjeonghal su itjyo?How can he be that cold-hearted?
- 수빈 Su-bin사이코패스라서는 이해가 안 돼요.saikopaeseuraseoneun ihaega an dwaeyo.Because he's a psychopath, I just don't understand.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “psychopath” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
