Korean Slang 240. 짬바

짬바 (jjamba)

Illustration of Korean slang jjamba: Confidence and skill from experience.
Original AI-created illustration for Korean Slang 240.

What 짬바 means

Confidence and skill from experience.

When Koreans use it

Praise the seasoned ability someone shows while handling a tricky situation.

A short conversation

Korean

A: 어떻게 바로 해결했어?

B: 십 년 짬바지.

English

A: How did you solve it so fast?

B: Ten years of experience.

Use it with care

Roughly shortened from 짬에서 나오는 바이브. Casual and sometimes hierarchy-conscious.

From Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. The meaning, usage, dialogue, and notes above follow the author’s book.

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