14 Konglish Words That Aren’t What They Seem

English is no stranger to loanwords—think karaoke (from Japanese), café (from French), sauna (from Finnish)—but what if there were words that resembled English terms but actually referred to something entirely different? Welcome to the world of pseudo-anglicisms: words in other languages that look or sound like English but don’t retain their English meaning at all. Korean is full of pseudo-anglicisms, colloquially called “Konglish”; here’s a list of 14, ranging from the logical to the completely unrecognizable. 

Saida (사이다) // Pronounced like cider  

If you order saida (사이다) in South Korea expecting a nice refreshing tipple, you may be disappointed to see what arrives: The term refers to lemon-flavored carbonated soft drinks, such as Sprite or 7UP. If you want to order the alcoholic drink, you need to ask for sagwaju (사과주), which literally translates to “apple alcohol.”

Obaiteu (오바이트) // Pronounced like overeat

If you do manage to get hold of alcoholic cider, you might need the word obaiteu (오바이트, pronounced similarly to overeat with a British accent), which differs from the English overeating in that it refers to the potential consequences of eating too much, i.e. vomiting. It can relate to any kind of puking, whether eating-, drinking-, or illness-related.

Noteubuk (노트북) // Pronounced like notebook

Don’t be surprised when a noteubuk (노트북) costs you hundreds if not thousands of dollars—it’s the Korean word for a laptop. (While some people still use notebook in the anglophone world to refer to a laptop, this usage is decreasing.) If you want to buy a paper notebook in South Korea, ask for a noteu (노트) or a gongchaek (공책).

Wonpiseu (원피스) // Pronounced like one piece

If you hear “one piece” while out and about, chances are people aren’t talking about the much-loved anime but are instead shopping for a cute outfit, since wonpiseu (원피스) is the Korean word for a dress. This one is pretty logical, but then again, couldn’t any individual item of clothing technically be a “one piece”?

Paeding (패딩) //  Pronounced like padding

When you hear “padding” out of context, you might think of what is used to stuff a cushion or sofa, but this actually refers to another item of clothing: Paeding in Korean is a padded coat or puffer jacket.

Seukin (스킨) // Pronounced like skin

If a Korean says they’re “going to put on some skin,” don’t worry—you haven’t just walked into a real-life horror movie. Seukin (스킨) just means “facial toner.”

Seobiseu (서비스) // Pronounced like service

Here’s a useful term for if you’re on a shopping spree or out to eat: Seobiseu (서비스) is a freebie. You’ll often be given small samples in cosmetic stores or you might even be lucky and get some food on the house in a restaurant—in traditional Korean restaurants, the banchan (반찬, “side dishes”) are almost always free.

Paseu (파스) // Pronounced like pass

If you go to a Korean pharmacy after tweaking a muscle or joint, you might hear the pharmacist say “pass.” They’re not being rude, they’re simply directing you to a quick and easy treatment: A paseu (파스) is a transdermal patch used to relieve muscle pain.

Konsenteu (콘센트) // Pronounced like consent

If someone in South Korea says they’re looking for “consent,” they’re not hitting on you. They probably just have a dead phone battery. In Korean, konsenteu (콘센트) is the word for an electrical outlet or socket, formed from the shortened version of concentric plug.

Hwaiting (화이팅) // Pronounced like fighting

If someone raises both fists at you and says “fighting!” they’re not about to start a brawl—it’s actually the typical gesture that accompanies the word hwaiting (화이팅), a Korean interjection often translated as “Good luck!” or “You can do it!” You can use it for sports matches, difficult exams, important work presentations, or when someone just needs an extra boost of confidence before a date.

Hadeukaeli (하드캐리) // Pronounced like hard carry

The phrase hadeukaeli (하드캐리) doesn’t mean much in English, but it’s used in Korean to refer to the MVP responsible for a team’s victory. It’s often used in a gaming context and can also refer to group projects or team sports; you could even use it if there’s a particularly good actor who rescues an otherwise mediocre film. It’s such a popular phrase that the K-pop group Got7 even used it in a song.

Miting (미팅) // Pronounced like meeting

If a colleague in South Korea offers to set up a meeting, think carefully before you agree, because in this instance, what they’re suggesting has nothing to do with work: Miting (미팅) is the Korean word for a group blind date. Looking to keep it strictly professional? You want hwei (회의).

Heonting (헌팅) // Pronounced like hunting

This term might be slightly questionable given the English word’s original meaning—heonting (헌팅) is Korean slang for picking up or flirting with a stranger. There are even heontingpocha (헌팅포차, “hunting bars”) for singles who can go there to meet someone new.

Chikin (치킨) // Pronounced like chicken

Finally, here’s a term that’s not too different from the English, but getting it wrong might cause mild inconvenience. Something that often catches tourists off guard in South Korea is that chikin (치킨) almost exclusively refers to fried chicken. If you’re looking for any other version of the meat, cooked or uncooked, you want dak (닭).

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