Korean Slang & Abbreviations: 이란, -는다거나

Korean internet talk needs two tools: (이)란 to ask or state what a term means — ‘갑분싸’란 무슨 뜻이에요? (what does ‘갑분싸’ mean?), 행복이란 무엇일까요? (what is happiness?) — and -(느)ㄴ다거나 to list how something works by example — 줄임말은 글자를 딴다거나 단어를 줄인다거나 해서 만들어요 (abbreviations are made by things like taking initials or shortening words). With these, you can both ask about and explain the new words flooding Korean feeds.

Chapter 3 is media and trends, and nothing dates faster — or spreads quicker — than slang. You’ve met the casual reaction endings that flavor everyday speech; now learn to talk about language itself, then go practice on the live vocabulary hub. Start with the words for word-making.

Ten words for new vocabulary

These let you name and explain the language trends themselves.

The thing called X — (이)란

To introduce a term you’re about to define or reflect on, attach (이)란 to it (“the thing called X / X means…”). It’s a contraction of (이)라는. After a consonant keep 이; after a vowel, just 란.

So the formula for explaining is X란 Y라는 뜻이에요 (“X means Y”) or X란 Y를 말해요 (“X refers to Y”). It’s the natural way to open any definition, from a buzzword to an abstract noun.

Things like X or Y — -(느)ㄴ다거나

To list representative examples of actions — “doing things like X or Y” — attach -(느)ㄴ다거나 to each verb, usually closing with 해요/만들어요. Build it from the plain present.

Note the formation: vowel stems add -ㄴ다거나 (보다 → 본다거나), consonant stems add -는다거나 (읽다 → 읽는다거나). The nuance is “examples, among others,” not a strict either/or — perfect for describing how trends or habits work.

A friend explains the slang

One friend teaches another a new term — both patterns in play:

See them combine: 갑분싸란 / 인싸란 open each definition, and 딴다거나 … 줄인다거나 해서 lays out how the words form. That’s how Koreans actually explain their own slang.

FAQ

What’s the difference between (이)란 and (이)라는? They’re the same thing — (이)란 is just the contracted form of (이)라는. Both mean ‘the one called X / what’s known as X,’ and they introduce a topic you’re about to define or comment on: 행복이란 무엇일까요? = what is (this thing called) happiness?; ‘인싸’란 무리에 잘 어울리는 사람을 말해요 = ‘인싸’ refers to someone who fits in well. Use (이)란 in speech and casual writing for a crisp ‘X means…’ setup; (이)라는 is the fuller form and also works as a normal relative (‘a person called X’ = X라는 사람). After a consonant keep 이 (행복이란), after a vowel drop it (영화란).

How does -는다거나 differ from just listing with -거나? -거나 simply offers alternatives (‘A or B’): 커피나 차를 마시거나 해요. -(느)ㄴ다거나 is the quotative-flavored version that lists representative examples of actions, often trailing into 해요/만들어요 (‘do things like A or B’): 줄임말은 글자를 딴다거나 단어를 줄인다거나 해서 만들어요 = abbreviations are made by things like taking initials or shortening words. The nuance is ‘examples among others,’ not an exhaustive either/or. Form it from the plain present: 보다 → 본다거나, 먹다 → 먹는다거나, 쉬다 → 쉰다거나.

Are abbreviations like 갑분싸 or 인싸 safe to use? The ones in this lesson are — they’re widely understood, non-offensive internet words. 갑분싸 (갑자기 분위기 싸해짐 = the mood suddenly turning cold), 인싸 (insider = a socially well-connected person), 케바케 (case by case), and 노잼 (not fun) are everywhere in casual Korean online and among friends. They’re informal, so keep them out of formal writing or business settings, and be aware new coinages appear and fade fast. But as a learner, recognizing how they’re built — initialisms (두문자) and shortenings (줄임말) — helps you decode dozens more on your own.

Next: event reviews — -고 보니, -는 듯, -을 모양이다. Previous: K-pop & fandom Korean — 이야, (이)나마. Full path: curriculum hub.