Korean word

엉터리

Pronunciation

Romanizationeongteori

Meaning

  • nounnonsense

Example

그의 말은 엉터리야.keu ui ma reun eong teo ri ya

His words are nonsense.

Illustration for 엉터리 (nonsense)

More examples

그건 엉터리 변명일 뿐이야.keu geon eong teo ri pyeon myeong il ppu ni ya

That's just a bogus excuse.

Core concept

Something put together so badly that it seems nonsensical, unreliable, or useless.

Common phrases

  • 엉터리 소리eong teo ri so ri

    nonsense talk

  • 엉터리 변명eong teo ri pyeon myeong

    nonsense excuse

  • 엉터리 보고서eong teo ri po go seo

    bogus report

Similar words

엉성함eongseongham: A rough, poorly finished state caused by careless work and faulty details.
허접heojeop: A cheap-looking or flimsy thing that feels poorly made.
엉망eongmang: A disordered state in which things are mixed up and fail to work properly.

Definition in Korean

짜임새가 없고 잘못되어 실용성이 없거나 믿을 수 없는 것을 가리키는 명사.jja im sae ga eop kko chal mot ttoe eo si ryong seong i eop kkeo na mi deul ssu eom neun keo seul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

The origin of this old Korean colloquial expression is uncertain, so it is best learned as a whole rather than split into smaller words.

Usage tips

  • English learners may hear it used for both bad claims and badly made things, so the surrounding noun shows whether the criticism targets words or work.

Other meanings

  • fakenoun
  • sloppyadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word