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Korean · Joy & Jackpots

개맛있어

gaemasisseo

geh-mah-SHEE-ssuh · /kɛ.ma.ɕi.s͈ʌ/

Insanely delicious — the dog prefix doing its finest work.

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"dog-delicious"

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

How to use it

The showcase example of slang-positive 개-: strap the dog onto 맛있어 (delicious) and you get food so good it deserves mild profanity. This is what you say — mouth full, eyes wide — over the first bite of proper Korean barbecue. Register rules as per 개-: a 2 that's enthusiastically welcome among under-40 company and clangs in front of elders, where 정말 맛있어요 (jeongmal masisseoyo) does the polite job. Saying 개맛있어 at the right moment to the right table is one of the fastest friendship shortcuts in this book.

Heard in the wild

이 삼겹살 개맛있어. 한 판 더 시키자.

This pork belly is insanely good. Let's order another round.

Where it lands

South Korea (universal among under-40s); slang register

Quick answers

What does "개맛있어" mean?
In Korean, "개맛있어" means "Insanely delicious — the dog prefix doing its finest work.". Literally it's "dog-delicious". The showcase example of slang-positive 개-: strap the dog onto 맛있어 (delicious) and you get food so good it deserves mild profanity. This is what you say — mouth full, eyes wide — over the first bite of proper Korean barbecue. Register rules as per 개-: a 2 that's enthusiastically welcome among under-40 company and clangs in front of elders, where 정말 맛있어요 (jeongmal masisseoyo) does the polite job. Saying 개맛있어 at the right moment to the right table is one of the fastest friendship shortcuts in this book.
Is "개맛있어" 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 "개맛있어"?
Say it "geh-mah-SHEE-ssuh" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: kɛ.ma.ɕi.s͈ʌ.

Related in Korean

개― gae- geh Dog- as a prefix: 'insanely / totally' — and slang-positive as often as negative. 대박 daebak DEH-bahk Amazing! / jackpot! / no way! — awe in both directions, good and terrible. 짱 jjang jjahng The best / awesome — thumbs-up in word form. 아싸! assa AH-ssah Yes! / score! — the fist-pump syllables. 개이득 gaeideuk geh-EE-deuk Massive win / total steal — profit so good it needs the dog prefix. 꿀잼 kkuljaem KKOOL-jem So much fun / hilarious — honey-grade entertainment.

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "That's awesome".

how to say "That's awesome" →

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