내공 (naegong) — Deep experience and skill.
Lesson 33 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang.
What 내공 means
Recognize the quiet competence someone develops over time. 내공 suggests skill built through long practice. You can praise a cook, teacher, musician, or craftsperson whose work looks effortless.
A short conversation
A: 설명이 정말 쉽다.
B: 오래 가르친 내공이지.
A: That explanation is so clear.
B: Years of teaching experience.
Use it with care
Originally linked to inner training in martial-arts language. Not a new abbreviation. The expression is most natural with friends or in an informal setting unless the context suggests otherwise.
A neutral or polite alternative: 오랜 경험에서 나오는 실력이 대단하세요.
Your skill from years of experience is impressive.
Try it yourself
Does 내공 praise a sudden lucky result or skill developed over time?
Answer: Skill developed over time. Read the Korean conversation aloud and try changing one detail to fit your own day.
Based on the author’s slang collection, with additional learning notes. AI-generated illustration created for this lesson. Browse the Korean Slang series.
Keep exploring Korean expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
