30 Korean phrases to describe appearance

How would you describe this boy's appearance? Short? Chubby? Cute? We describe someone's appearance by talking about unique characteristics. So today, I'm going to explain essential expressions to describe appearance. Remember, these Korean expressions are commonly used, but some might not be common in English. So try to find out the ones that you can use. Ready? First, let's talk about height. You can precisely say how tall someone is, but you don't need to mention centimeters. Just numbers are enough. And this version. There is 시 which is used to show respect. So this should be used when you talk about someone who is much older than you or you don't have a close relationship with, like parents or work colleagues. If you just want to say someone is tall, you can say So when someone is medium height, you can say 키 작아. 키 작아요. 키 height. 작아, small. So when someone is short, you can say There are many ways to describe body size and shape. So when someone normally women is fit, implying physical attractiveness, you can say So when someone normally men is fit, implying physical attractiveness, you can say So when someone is big, you can say So when you want to emphasize how small someone is, you can say 우리 누나 왜소해. 저희 누나 왜소해요. If you prefer to use more generic expressions, you can say When someone is fat, you can say 우리 엄마 뚱뚱하셔. 저희 엄마 뚱뚱하세요. When someone is chubby, you can say Here are more positive expressions. But usually these are used for babies and children. When someone is slim, you can say Similarly, you can also say But there is a big difference. 날씬해 focuses on a slim figure. 늘씬해 focuses on being slim as well as being tall. And 늘씬해 is commonly used among old people. 말랐어 means something is dried up. But also someone is thin. 우리 선생님 마르셨어. 저희 선생님 마르셨어요. And if you want to emphasize how skinny someone is, you can add 근육 muscle. 질 shape. So when someone has well-developed muscles, you can say 글래머야. 글래머예요. 글래머 comes from an English word, glamour. But in Korean, when someone is curvy, you can say 글래머야. 저 여자 글래머야. 저 여자 글래머예요. 체격 좋아. 체격 좋아요. 체, body. 격, physical shape. 좋아, good. So when someone is large and strong in an attractive way, you can say 체격 좋아. 그 축구 선수 체격 좋아요. Now let's move on to general appearance. When someone is attractive, you can say 매력 있어. 멋있어. 멋있어요. But attractiveness of someone's look, behavior, and attitude. 있어. Someone has. So when someone is cool and charming, you can say 멋있어. 피터 진짜 멋있어. 피터 진짜 멋있어요. 못생겼어. 못생겼어요. Someone or something's appearance become a certain shape. So when someone is ugly, you can say 못생겼어. 내 동생 못생겼어. 제 동생 못생겼어요. 잘생겼어. 잘생겼어요. 잘, well. 생겼어. Someone or someone's appearance become a certain shape. So when someone, usually a man, is handsome, you can say 잘생겼어. 지민 잘생겼어. 지민 잘생겼어요. Another expression which is formal and used for grown-up men is 미남이야. 예뻐. 예뻐요. When someone is pretty, you can say 예뻐. 제니 너무 예뻐. 제니 너무 예뻐요. You can also say 예쁘게 생겼어. Or in a formal way and which is used only for grown-up women, 미인이야. 귀여워. 귀여워요. When someone is cute, you can say 귀여워. 우리 할머니 할아버지 귀여우셔. 저희 할머니 할아버지 귀여우세요. 우아해. 우아해요. All generals and graceful are beautiful. So when a woman is elegant, you can say 우아해. 그 영화배우 엄청 우아해. 그 영화배우 엄청 우아해요. 섹시해. 섹시해요. Sexy comes from an English word, sexy. So when someone is sexy, you can say 섹시해. 그 영화배우 되게 섹시해. 그 영화배우 되게 섹시해요. Let's talk about other appearances. 머리 길어. 머리 길어요. 머리, head, hair, 길어, long. So when someone has long hair, you can say 머리 길어. 내 머리 너무 길어. 제 머리 너무 길어요. 머리 짧아. 머리 짧아요. 머리, head, hair, 짧아, short. So when someone has short hair, you can say 머리 짧아. 내 머리 좀 짧아. 제 머리 좀 짧아요. 앞머리 있어. 앞머리 있어요. 앞, front. 머리, head, hair, 있어. Someone has. So when someone has a fringe, you can say 앞머리 있어. 나 앞머리 있어. 저 앞머리 있어요. 수염 있어. 수염 있어요. 수염 means hair on a face. So it can be a beard or mustache. 있어. Someone has. 내 남친 수염 있어. 제 남친 수염 있어요. If you want to specify, you can say 콧수염 있어. 턱수염 있어. 얼굴 작아. 얼굴 작아요. 얼굴, face, 작아, small. So when someone's head or face is small, you can say 얼굴 작아. Interestingly, 얼굴 작아 is a compliment in Korea. And of course, the opposite, 얼굴 커 is offensive. BTS 멤버들 얼굴 작아. BTS 멤버들 얼굴 작아요. 피부 하얘. 피부 하얘요. 피부, skin, 하얘, white. So when someone's skin is relatively white, you can say 피부 하얘. 내 피부 좀 하얘. 제 피부 좀 하얘요. 피부 까매. 피부 까매요. 피부, skin, 까매, black. So when someone's skin is relatively dark, you can say 피부 까매. 내 피부 좀 까매. 제 피부 좀 까매요. 저희 언니 키 커요. 제 남친 좀 말랐어요. 저희 선생님 수염 있어요. 애기 정말 귀여워요. 제 친구 머리 짧아요. I hope you've enjoyed this lesson. You can find more quiz questions on Patreon. Thank you for watching. See you again soon. Bye.