바보
babo[ˈpa̠(ː)bo̞]
The English word "stupid" is expressed in Korean as 바보 (babo).
바보 is a common term used to express stupidity.
Meaning: lacking in intelligence (adj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
바보 is a relatively mild and common term that can be used playfully between friends or as a light insult. For more formal contexts, specifically when describing someone as lacking in wisdom or making foolish decisions, the word 어리석다 is more appropriate. For a more direct informal insult meaning "a fool" or "an idiot," you might use 멍청이.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use 바보 as an adjective modifying a noun, you must add 같은 to the end to form 바보 같은, which means "stupid" or "foolish". To use it as an adverb meaning "stupidly" or "like a fool", add 같이 to form 바보같이.
How do you pronounce it?
babo
Did you know?
- One historical theory links 바보 to the Chinese characters 八朔, meaning 'eight months', implying a child who was born prematurely and thus 'foolish'.
- While 바보 is often an insult, it is frequently used as a term of endearment between romantic partners in Korea.
- The suffix -보 in 바보 is used to turn a verb into a noun that describes a person with a specific habit, such as 먹보 meaning 'one who eats a lot'.
Examples in context
- 바보 같은 짓 좀 그만해.Stop being stupid.This sentence shows how to use 바보 to describe a stupid action.Tatoeba #11106566 by intertime, translation #3419612 by Hybrid
- 넌 왜 그렇게 바보같이 굴어?Why are you acting so stupid?This sentence shows how to use 바보 as an adverb to describe how someone is acting.Tatoeba #8363190 by Eunhee, translation #7737513 by CK
- 우리 좀 바보짓을 해야할 것 같아.I think we should do something stupid.This sentence shows how to use 바보 to describe a stupid act or thing to do.Tatoeba #8360561 by Eunhee, translation #1444225 by CM
- 그의 결정은 어리석다.His decision is stupid.
- 어제 바보 같은 실수를 저질렀어.I made a stupid mistake yesterday.
- 그는 진짜 미친놈이다.He is a really crazy idiot.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A boy and a girl are teasing each other after a small mistake.
- 도현 Do-hyeon진짜 바보 아니야?jin-jja ba-bo a-ni-ya?Aren't you a real idiot?
- 서연 Seo-yeon나 바보 아니거든!na ba-bo a-ni-geo-deun!I am not a stupid person!
- 도현 Do-hyeon그럼 왜 그랬어?geu-reom wae geu-raess-eo?Then why did you do that?
- 서연 Seo-yeon그냥 실수였어.geu-nyang sil-su-yeoss-eo.It was just a mistake.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 바보, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 바보, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
