· Slangdunk Editors
What does 꼰대 (kkondae) mean? From schoolkids' slang to the BBC's word of the day
꼰대 (kkondae) is a put-down for someone convinced they're always right who pushes it on everyone else. It began as students' slang for teachers and old people, and in 2019 the BBC made it its word of the day.
At a glance
- Meaning
- A put-down for someone who believes their own experience is always right and imposes it on others. Originally slang for old people or teachers.
- Origin
- Theories trace it to 꼰데기, a southeastern dialect word for silkworm pupa, or to the French comte (count). Neither is confirmed.
- Abroad
- In 2019 the BBC made it a “word of the day,” defining it as an older person who always believes they are right.
- Numbers
- In a 2023 PMI survey, 27.9% of workers called themselves a 꼰대. Millennials had the highest rate (31.6%).
After a meeting, one of our editors gave a new hire three pieces of advice, each starting with “Trust me, I've done this before.” Just before the fourth, they caught the new hire's look. That look has a name. The name, it turns out, is quite old.
Sixty-odd years of 꼰대, step by step
Around 1960
Born as classroom slang
A 2020 Jeonnam Magazine article said the word had been in use for over 60 years. Korea's Standard Dictionary defines it as slang for old people, or students' slang for teachers.
May 2015
A newspaper makes a checklist
Kyunghyang Shinmun interviewed 27 people in their 20s and 30s, sorted 꼰대 into three types (the fusty mother-in-law, the authoritarian lone wolf, the advice-giving “person of character”), and printed a 15-item self-test.
Sep 2016
The origin debate gets a card-news feature
Asia Economy laid out the 꼰데기 and comte theories, noting that today's 꼰대 means anyone who pulls rank and can't communicate, regardless of age.
2019
The BBC's word of the day
According to Bravo My Life and Yonhap News TV, the BBC picked 꼰대 as a word of the day, defining it as an older person who always believes they are right (and everyone else is always wrong).
May 2020
Paired with 라떼는 말이야
An ad built on 라떼는 말이야 (“back in my day”) went viral, reaching about 7.5 million YouTube views, per Jeonnam Magazine. The 꼰대's catchphrase got a name of its own.
Jul 2023
Not just the elders
In a PMI survey, 31.6% of millennials called themselves a 꼰대, more than baby boomers (26.6%).
What does 꼰대 (kkondae) mean?
꼰대
Someone convinced their own experience and views are always right, who pushes them on others. Originally students' slang for teachers or old people; now used regardless of age.
In Korean: 자기 경험과 생각이 늘 옳다고 믿고 남에게 강요하는 사람을 낮잡아 부르는 말. 원래는 학생들이 선생님이나 나이 든 어른을 부르던 은어였고, 지금은 나이와 상관없이 쓴다.
- "내가 해 봐서 아는데"로 시작하면 일단 꼰대 경보야If it starts with “Trust me, I've done this,” that's a 꼰대 alert.New hires' group chat
- 나이가 문제가 아니라 태도가 문제지. 우리 팀엔 스물여덟 살 꼰대도 있어It's not age, it's attitude. Our team has a 28-year-old 꼰대.Lunchtime analysis
- 혹시 제가 방금 꼰대 같았나요? 솔직하게 말해 주세요Did I just sound like a 꼰대? Be honest.A team lead, reflecting after a meeting
- 회식 메뉴 정하는 데 30분 연설하는 건 꼰대 맞습니다A 30-minute speech to pick the team-dinner menu? That's 꼰대.Anonymous office forum
꼰대 by the numbers: which generation admits it?
PMI surveyed 3,000 people aged 20 to 69 nationwide in 2023 (reported by Lady Kyunghyang). 63.4% said there was a 꼰대 among their coworkers. Bosses were named most often (65.3%), but peers (17.4%) and juniors (12.6%) weren't far behind. Here's who admitted to being one.
- Baby boomers26.6%
- Gen X26.7%
- Millennials31.6%Highest
- Gen Z18.6%
Am I a 꼰대?
Kyunghyang's 2015 test said five or more of its 15 items put you at risk. Below are five much lighter ones. To check your catchphrases too, see the 라떼는 말이야 (latteneun mariya, “back in my day”) entry.
Am I a 꼰대? Tick the ones that apply
0 of 5 checked
Safe for now. But do reread the last item.
꼰대 (kkondae): frequently asked questions
Q. What does 꼰대 mean?
A put-down for someone who believes their experience and views are always right and imposes them on others. It was originally students' slang for teachers or old people.
Q. Where does 꼰대 come from?
One theory points to 꼰데기, a southeastern dialect word for silkworm pupa; another to the French comte (count). Neither has documentary support.
Q. What's 꼰대 in English?
The BBC used “kkondae” as is in 2019. Close English equivalents include “condescending old person,” “know-it-all” or, depending on context, “boomer.”
Q. What is a young 꼰대?
Someone young who still imposes their ways like a 꼰대. In PMI's 2023 survey, 31.6% of millennials called themselves a 꼰대.
Q. Is 꼰대 a swear word?
Not a swear word, but it is a put-down. Said to someone's face it can be rude; asking yourself “Was I being a 꼰대?” is the safe use.
So over sixty-odd years, 꼰대 shifted from meaning “old person” to meaning “someone you can't talk to.” Our editor still hasn't given that fourth piece of advice. Instead, they asked the new hire which words are trending. For a related label, see 영포티 (yeongpoti, “young forty”). And if you have a sharper definition, add it to the 꼰대 entry in the dictionary.
Sources
- Kyunghyang Shinmun — 당신은 '꼰대'인가요? 그렇다면 어떤 유형인가요? (Kim Seo-young, May 10, 2015, in Korean)
- Asia Economy — [카드뉴스]'꼰대'라는 말이, 프랑스어에서 왔다고? (Lee Hyun-woo, Lee Jin-kyung, Sep 19, 2016, in Korean)
- Bravo My Life — 옆집 아저씨는 어쩌다 꼰대가 되었을까 (Nov 13, 2019, in Korean)
- Jeonnam Magazine — "라떼는 말이야..." '꼰대'의 유래 (Yoo Bo-ram, May 11, 2020, in Korean)
- Lady Kyunghyang — 이걸요? 제가요? 왜요?…직장인 10명 중 3명 '나는 꼰대다' (Jul 20, 2023, in Korean)
See ‘꼰대’ in the dictionary — more definitions, examples, and your own take.
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