Korean · Joy & Jackpots
최고
choego
CHWEH-goh · /tɕʰwe.ɡo/
The best! — clean, all-ages, thumbs-up enthusiasm.
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"highest / supreme"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Your all-audiences superlative. 최고 is "the best" with zero slang residue: safe for the homestay grandmother, the taxi driver, the business dinner. "사장님 최고!" (boss, you're the best!) to the restaurant owner who slips you extra side dishes is pitch-perfect traveler Korean and will be received with genuine delight. Usually delivered with a thumbs up — the gesture and the word are a set. When 짱 feels too playground and 개맛있어 too slangy, 최고 is always exactly right.
Heard in the wild
이모, 여기 반찬 최고예요!
Ma'am, the side dishes here are the best!
Where it lands
South Korea (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "최고" mean?
- In Korean, "최고" means "The best! — clean, all-ages, thumbs-up enthusiasm.". Literally it's "highest / supreme". Your all-audiences superlative. 최고 is "the best" with zero slang residue: safe for the homestay grandmother, the taxi driver, the business dinner. "사장님 최고!" (boss, you're the best!) to the restaurant owner who slips you extra side dishes is pitch-perfect traveler Korean and will be received with genuine delight. Usually delivered with a thumbs up — the gesture and the word are a set. When 짱 feels too playground and 개맛있어 too slangy, 최고 is always exactly right.
- Is "최고" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "최고"?
- Say it "CHWEH-goh" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: tɕʰwe.ɡo.
Related in Korean
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "That's awesome".
- French Ça déchire ! That rocks! / That's awesome!
- German Geil! Awesome! / Sick! / Hell yes!
- Greek ρε μαλάκα Hey man / dude / bro — the affectionate-insult greeting between friends.
- Italian Figo! Cool! / Awesome! / Sick!
- Japanese やばい Insane / crazy / no way — good OR bad, from context
- Polish zajebisty Fucking awesome / badass — the great slang-POSITIVE of the jebać family.
- Portuguese Do caralho Fucking awesome — OR, with 'casa do', the middle of nowhere
- Russian Класс! Awesome! / Great! / Cool!
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.