Adjectives are an invaluable part of learning any language. They help us to describe people, places, and objects.
This list contains 100 descriptive entries, mostly adjectives, plus a few related verbs and phrases. Some temperature words repeat to show different uses; it is not a list of 100 distinct adjectives or a measured frequency ranking. Most entries use dictionary forms ending in 다. They need appropriate endings in conversation and different forms before nouns. 잘생겼다 and 못생겼다 are common descriptive forms.
Use personal descriptions thoughtfully. Words such as 뚱뚱하다, 못생겼다, and 멍청하다 can offend when directed at someone. Romanization follows Revised Romanization; words ending in 다 here are vocabulary forms, not automatically polite sentences.
Now let’s check the list of common Korean adjectives!
| Korean word or phrase | Revised Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 행복하다 | haengbokada | to be happy |
| 피곤하다 | pigonhada | to be tired |
| 기쁘다 | gippeuda | to be glad |
| 화나다 | hwanada | to get angry (verb) |
| 슬프다 | seulpeuda | to be sad |
| 아프다 | apeuda | to hurt / be sick or painful |
| 배가 고프다 | baega gopeuda | to be hungry |
| 목이 마르다 | mogi mareuda | to be thirsty |
| 졸리다 | jollida | to be sleepy |
| 걱정하다 | geokjeonghada | to worry (verb) |
| 무섭다 | museopda | to be scary / afraid |
| 짜증 나다 | jjajeung nada | to feel annoyed (verb phrase) |
| 놀라다 | nollada | to be surprised / startled (verb) |
| 수줍다 | sujupda | to be shy |
| 재미있다 | jaemiitda | to be interesting |
| 재미없다 | jaemieopda | to not be interesting |
| 심심하다 | simsimhada | to be bored |
| 지루하다 | jiruhada | to be boring / feel bored |
| 조용하다 | joyonghada | to be quiet |
| 시끄럽다 | sikkeureopda | to be loud |
| 뜨겁다 | tteugeopda | to be hot |
| 따뜻하다 | ttatteutada | to be warm |
| 차갑다 | chagapda | to be cold |
| 시원하다 | siwonhada | to be cool |
| 신선하다 | sinseonhada | to be fresh |
| 아름답다 | areumdapda | to be beautiful |
| 예쁘다 | yeppeuda | to be pretty |
| 귀엽다 | gwiyeopda | to be cute |
| 잘생겼다 | jalsaenggyeotda | to be handsome / good-looking |
| 못생겼다 | motsaenggyeotda | to be ugly (can be insulting) |
| 크다 | keuda | to be big |
| 작다 | jakda | to be small |
| 많다 | manta | to be a lot, many |
| 적다 | jeokda | to be few, little |
| 좁다 | jopda | to be narrow |
| 넓다 | neolda | to be wide, broad |
| 뚱뚱하다 | ttungttunghada | to be fat, overweight |
| 통통하다 | tongtonghada | to be chubby |
| 날씬하다 | nalssinhada | to be slim, slender |
| 깡마르다 | kkangmareuda | to be skinny, scrawny |
| 덥다 | deopda | to be hot (weather) |
| 뜨겁다 | tteugeopda | to be hot (objects) |
| 따뜻하다 | ttatteutada | to be warm (both weather and objects) |
| 춥다 | chupda | to be cold (weather) |
| 차갑다 | chagapda | to be cold, icy (objects) |
| 싸늘하다 | ssaneulhada | to be chilly, frosty |
| 습하다 | seupada | to be damp, humid |
| 건조하다 | geonjohada | to be dry |
| 흐리다 | heurida | to be cloudy |
| 좋다 | jota | to be good, fine |
| 어렵다 | eoryeopda | to be difficult |
| 쉽다 | swipda | to be easy |
| 깨끗하다 | kkaekkeutada | to be clean |
| 더럽다 | deoreopda | to be dirty |
| 빠르다 | ppareuda | to be fast |
| 천천하다 | cheoncheonhada | to be slow / unhurried; less common than 느리다 |
| 느리다 | neurida | to be slow |
| 급하다 | geupada | to be urgent |
| 늦다 | neutda | to be late |
| 이르다 | ireuda | to be early |
| 똑똑하다 | ttokttokada | to be smart, clever |
| 멍청하다 | meongcheonghada | to be stupid, foolish |
| 싸다 | ssada | to be cheap |
| 비싸다 | bissada | to be expensive |
| 새롭다 | saeropda | to be new |
| 오래되다 | oraedoeda | to be old (objects) |
| 튼튼하다 | teunteunhada | to be strong, sturdy |
| 씩씩하다 | ssikssikada | to be spirited / confident / brave |
| 약하다 | yakada | to be weak |
| 건강하다 | geonganghada | to be healthy |
| 쓰다 | sseuda | to be bitter |
| 짜다 | jjada | to be salty |
| 시큼하다 | sikeumhada | to be sour |
| 맵다 | maepda | to be spicy |
| 달콤하다 | dalkomhada | to be sweet |
| 기름지다 | gireumjida | to be fatty, greasy, oily |
| 맛있다 | masitda | to be delicious, tasty |
| 맛없다 | madeopda | to taste bad / be unappetizing |
| 가득하다 | gadeukada | to be full, crammed |
| 비어 있다 | bieo itda | to be empty |
| 나쁘다 | nappeuda | to be bad, poor |
| 딱딱하다 | ttakttakada | to be hard, stiff |
| 뾰족하다 | ppyojokada | to be sharp, pointed |
| 부드럽다 | budeureopda | to be soft |
| 말랑하다 | mallanghada | to be soft / pliable |
| 촉촉하다 | chokchokada | to be moist |
| 축축하다 | chukchukada | to be damp, clammy, wet |
| 젖다 | jeotda | to become wet (verb) |
| 건조하다 | geonjohada | to be dry, arid |
| 미끄럽다 | mikkeureopda | to be slippery |
| 편하다 | pyeonhada | to be comfortable |
| 불편하다 | bulpyeonhada | to be uncomfortable |
| 괜찮다 | gwaenchanta | to be alright, okay |
| 이상하다 | isanghada | to be weird, strange |
| 복잡하다 | bokjapada | to be complicated / crowded |
| 편리하다 | pyeollihada | to be convenient |
| 다르다 | dareuda | to be different |
| 같다 | gatda | to be the same |
| 착하다 | chakada | to be good-natured, nice |
| 비열하다 | biyeolhada | to be mean, nasty |
Building the descriptive vocabulary to help you communicate is an important step for learning a language, as it allows you to put your thoughts into words accurately.
With the help of this list, you will improve your ability to express yourself in Korean.
Don’t forget to check out our Easy Guide to Korean Adjectives to learn more!
Just remember to practice daily and you’ll see progress!
화이팅!!!