Korean · Insults & Asymmetries
놈
nom
nohm · /nom/
Guy / bastard — the male half of Korean's asymmetric insult pair.
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"fellow / male person (low form)"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
놈 is the rough, low word for a man — on its own more dismissive than explosive ("그놈," that guy, said with a curled lip). It works as a suffix slot: 나쁜 놈 (bad guy), 미친놈 (madman), 도둑놈 (thieving bastard). Grumbling about an absent 놈 is everyday venting; calling someone 놈 to his face is picking at him. Here's the asymmetry every learner must internalize: the female counterpart 년 is NOT the same weight — it's two rungs harsher (see its entry). 놈 alone is a 2; its sister word is where the real danger lives.
Heard in the wild
그놈이 또 약속을 어겼어.
That guy broke his promise again.
Where it lands
South Korea (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "놈" mean?
- In Korean, "놈" means "Guy / bastard — the male half of Korean's asymmetric insult pair.". Literally it's "fellow / male person (low form)". 놈 is the rough, low word for a man — on its own more dismissive than explosive ("그놈," that guy, said with a curled lip). It works as a suffix slot: 나쁜 놈 (bad guy), 미친놈 (madman), 도둑놈 (thieving bastard). Grumbling about an absent 놈 is everyday venting; calling someone 놈 to his face is picking at him. Here's the asymmetry every learner must internalize: the female counterpart 년 is NOT the same weight — it's two rungs harsher (see its entry). 놈 alone is a 2; its sister word is where the real danger lives.
- Is "놈" 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 "놈"?
- Say it "nohm" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: nom.
Related in Korean
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