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Korean · K-Drama Words, Actually Weighed

자식

jasik

jah-SHEEK · /tɕa.ɕik̚/

This kid… / you rascal — the gruff-fond word for someone junior.

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"offspring / one's child"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

Literally just "offspring," 자식 turned vocative is the softer cousin of 새끼: "이 자식~" with a grin and a shoulder-grab is "you rascal, you've done well," dad-and-drama certified ("우리 아들, 이 자식, 다 컸네" — my boy, this kid, all grown up). With a scowl it's "this little punk." The blend of pride and abuse in one word is deeply Korean — affection here routinely wears insult's clothes, and 자식 is the standard-issue example. Strictly downhill like 인마: from senior to junior only. A 2 for the usual reason — the word is mild, the misdeployment isn't. 이 자식 저 자식 (this jasik, that jasik) means someone's ranting about everybody.

Heard in the wild

이 자식, 언제 이렇게 요리를 배웠어?

You rascal, when did you learn to cook like this?

Where it lands

South Korea (universal); senior-to-junior, gruff-fond

Quick answers

What does "자식" mean?
In Korean, "자식" means "This kid… / you rascal — the gruff-fond word for someone junior.". Literally it's "offspring / one's child". Literally just "offspring," 자식 turned vocative is the softer cousin of 새끼: "이 자식~" with a grin and a shoulder-grab is "you rascal, you've done well," dad-and-drama certified ("우리 아들, 이 자식, 다 컸네" — my boy, this kid, all grown up). With a scowl it's "this little punk." The blend of pride and abuse in one word is deeply Korean — affection here routinely wears insult's clothes, and 자식 is the standard-issue example. Strictly downhill like 인마: from senior to junior only. A 2 for the usual reason — the word is mild, the misdeployment isn't. 이 자식 저 자식 (this jasik, that jasik) means someone's ranting about everybody.
Is "자식" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
How do you pronounce "자식"?
Say it "jah-SHEEK" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: tɕa.ɕik̚.

Related in Korean

개새끼 gaesaekki geh-SEH-kkee Son of a bitch / bastard — a real insult with no soft reading. 새끼 saekki SEH-kkee Punk / little shit — literally a baby animal, and that's the insult. 놈 nom nohm Guy / bastard — the male half of Korean's asymmetric insult pair. 년 nyeon nyun Bitch — the female counterpart of 놈, and far, far harsher. 바보 babo bah-BOH Dummy / silly — the soft, safe, often affectionate 'idiot.' 또라이 ttorai ttoh-RAH-ee Nutjob / psycho / total weirdo.

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