Nuance Dictionary / Culture & Language
척척박사 cheok-cheok-bak-sa
A playful jab at someone acting like a 'human encyclopedia' who can't resist providing answers for everything.
What does 척척박사 mean?
척척박사 (cheok-cheok-bak-sa) means: A playful jab at someone acting like a 'human encyclopedia' who can't resist providing answers for everything.
Natives reach for this when someone—usually a peer or a younger person—is being a bit too eager to display their knowledge. It’s essentially the Korean version of saying 'Look at Mr. Know-It-All over here.' While it’s meant to be lighthearted, it carries an undercurrent of social friction; you would rarely use this with a superior, as it borders on challenging their dignity (체면). If you use this with a senior, you’re basically telling them they’re being annoying, which is a fast track to being labeled 'rude' (싸가지 없다). Stick to using this with friends or close colleagues to deflate a moment of intellectual posturing.
Other sides of 척척박사
◆ Endearing title for a curious child — When a child excitedly explains how a bird flies or why the sky is blue, Korean adults use this to validate their curiosity and reinforce the social bond of 'jeong' (정). Unlike its sarcastic counterpart used for adults, this version is meant to encourage a child's growth within the hierarchical family structure, framing them as a mini-expert in a way that is profoundly endearing. Learners often mistake this for a literal comment on intelligence, but it is actually a social tool used by elders to show they are paying attention to the child's development, bridging the gap between their worlds.
🎙️ 척척박사는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [척척빡싸]로 소리나요 (경음화). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 와, 우리 지수 진짜 척척박사네! 모르는 게 뭐야?
Wa, uri Ji-su jin-jja cheok-cheok-bak-sa-ne! Mo-reu-neun ge mwo-ya?
Wow, our Jisu is a total know-it-all! Is there anything you don't know?
💡 A classic example of teasing a friend who is showing off their trivia knowledge. - 척척박사님, 그만 좀 아는 척하세요.
Cheok-cheok-bak-sa-nim, geu-man jom a-neun cheok-ha-se-yo.
Mr. Know-It-All, please stop pretending to know everything.
💡 Using the suffix '-nim' makes it sarcastically polite, which actually makes the burn feel sharper. - 야, 너 언제부터 척척박사 됐냐?
Ya, neo eon-je-bu-teo cheok-cheok-bak-sa dwaet-nya?
Hey, since when did you become such a know-it-all?
💡 Purely casual; meant for a close friend who is being particularly pedantic.