못생기다
motsaenggida[ˈmo̞(ː)ss͈ɛŋɡida̠]verb
Ugly in Korean, meaning not good looking, is 못생기다 (motsaenggida). If unsure, use 못생기다. Wiktionary also lists 추악하다 (chuakhada).
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 못생기다 | motsaenggida | [ˈmo̞(ː)ss͈ɛŋɡida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈmo̞(ː)ss͈e̞ŋɡida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
verb |
| 추악하다 | chuakhada | [t͡ɕʰua̠kʰa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
못생기다 describes a person or thing that is not pleasant to look at.
What does it mean word for word?
못 means not or cannot and 생기다 means to be formed, so it is close to badly formed.
Which one should you use?
추악하다 (chuakhada) means ugly in a stronger sense, hideous or morally vile. For plain looks, 못생기다 is the normal word.
How does it change in a sentence?
Korean treats 못생기다 as a verb. Before a noun it becomes 못생긴, as in an ugly face.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced motsaenggida.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Calling someone ugly is rude in any language, so use 못생기다 with care.
Did you know?
- Korean has a specific way of expressing 'ugly-cute' using the term 못생겨서 귀엽다, which celebrates an endearing lack of conventional beauty.
- The word 추악하다 is composed of Hanja, meaning its roots are based on Chinese characters that specifically carry the heavy connotations of 'ugliness' and 'evil'.
- The root 생기다 in 못생기다 can also be used to describe how someone 'looks' or 'appears' in a neutral or positive way.
Examples in context
- 얼굴도 못생긴 게 / 왜 태어났니?Your face is so ugly / Why were you born? (parody lyrics to "Happy Birthday to You")못생긴 is the form placed before a noun, here before the idea of the face 얼굴.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations and entries 못생기다, 추악하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 못생기다, 추악하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
