How to Say “Crazy” in Korean – The meaning of 미쳤어 (michyeosseo)

Do you think knowing how to say “crazy” in Korean would be useful to you as you’re learning Korean? Some might think not, as it can be considered a rude remark to make and usually has only a negative nuance. However, learning this term also has its advantages.

Illustration of 4 stick figures colors green, blue, yellow, and pink doing crazy movements

Upon learning how to say “crazy” in Korean, you will also find yourself surprised with just how many times this word is used in Korean pop songs or K-dramas. This suddenly makes it an incredibly fruitful addition to your vocabulary.

Here’s a PDF guide on how to say “crazy” in Korean that you can download:

Are you ready to learn how to say “crazy” in Korean?

“Crazy” in Korean

The word most often used for “crazy “in Korean is 미쳤어 (michyeosseo).

It stems from the verb 미치다 (michida), which in this context translates to “go crazy.” It can also mean “be out of one’s mind” or simply “go mad.” It’s used in the past tense.

Take note that “crazy” is often used in an extremely informal way in the Korean culture, so you might want to steer away from using it around elders in South Korea. 미쳤어 (michyeosseo) also means to “lose one’s mind.”

“Are you crazy” in Korean

“Are you crazy” in Korean uses the same word as “crazy,” which is 미쳤어? (michyeosseo). The only difference is the intonation that goes up at the end for “are you crazy” as it is said as a question.

This is also one of the most common Korean drama phrases, so this might already sound familiar.

Other Sample Sentences:

그 남자는 미쳤어 (geu namjaneun michyeosseo)

That boy is crazy.

너 때문에 미쳤어 (neo ttaemune michyeosseo)

I’m crazy because of you.

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Other Words for “Crazy” in Korean

You might also be wondering what some other Korean words with similar meanings are. Here are some expressions with which you can enhance your vocabulary.

“Feel like going crazy” in Korean

An expression you can say to describe when you feel like going crazy is 미칠 것 같아 (michil geot gata). 

“About to go crazy” in Korean

Another similar phrase is 미치겠어 (michigesseo), which means describes someone who is about to go crazy.

“To go crazy” in Korean

If you’d like to say “to go crazy” in Korean, you can use the expression 미쳐 갔어 (michyeo gasseo).

“Like crazy” in Korean

To describe something or someone “like crazy,” you can say 미친 듯이 (michin deusi). 듯이 (deusi) translates to “like” or “as if.” 

Basically, by adding different types of conjugations to the basic form of the verb 미치다 (michida), you can come up with different expressions for “crazy.” Although the nuances of each expression are not that different, each one is preferable for different situations.

A Word of Caution About Romanization

We’ll usually give you the romanization of Korean words so you can get some assistance with the pronunciation when you’re first starting out. However, you’ll do yourself a huge favor if you take the time to learn the Korean alphabet (Hangeul).

As you learn Korean, especially the Korean alphabet, it might seem like a scary idea, with the completely new alphabet system and all. However, it’s actually a very systematic and simple alphabet to grasp! With the right tools, you can learn to read Korean in about 90 minutes.

Wrap Up

Now, you should be ready to listen to Korean pop songs and recognize this word in use in the lyrics. Perhaps you can express how crazy Korean drama scenes are in your favorite K-drama.

Alternatively, go out in the real world to express when you’ve gone crazy over something or joke with your friends about things that don’t seem quite right to you. However, remember to use the Korean words for “crazy” with caution, or just avoid calling a person crazy!

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