😐neutral

What Does "jalsaenggyeotda" (잘생겼다) Mean in Korean?

He/She is handsome — the hidden emotional layer and cultural context behind it, not just the dictionary translation.

Meaning

잘생겼다

jalsaenggyeotda

He/She is handsome

EMOTIONAL INTENSITY4/10
😊 Mildeveryday

Real Feeling

🇰🇷

What Koreans really mean

This phrase is widely used and generally safe to say in casual settings. While literally meaning 'is handsome,' it often carries a nuance of admiration or appreciation for someone's looks. It can be said about celebrities, friends, or even objects (like a car) to mean 'cool' or 'good-looking' in a broader sense. Although grammatically neutral, it's typically used to compliment men; '예쁘다' (yeppeuda) is more common for women.

💬 Used in real life

Said when seeing a good-looking person pass by in a cafe.

Used when a friend introduces their new attractive boyfriend.

How It's Used

Real example sentences — tap any bubble to explore it

Similar Expressions

Related feelings and meanings — click to explore

Grammar Breakdown

Part by part — learn the structure, not just the meaning

jal

adverb

Means 'well' or 'skillfully'.

생기saenggi

verb stem

From the verb '생기다' (saenggida), meaning 'to be born' or 'to appear'.

-었-eot

past tense suffix

Indicates past tense or a completed state, here contributing to the meaning of 'having been born/formed well'.

-다-da

sentence-final ending

A declarative, plain speech ending used to state a fact.

Tags

complimentappearanceadmirationpositive

Korean expressions carry layers of meaning that direct translation misses. The real meaning lives in the emotion, context, and cultural moment.

Heard another Korean expression?

Decode it instantly — or tell us what you want to say.