Nuance Dictionary / Personality Traits
허술하다 heo-sul-ha-da
Lacking thoroughness, sloppy, or having many blind spots
What does 허술하다 mean?
허술하다 (heo-sul-ha-da) means: Lacking thoroughness, sloppy, or having many blind spots.
Can apply to a person, a plan, or a building. If an elaborate heist movie plot has obvious plot holes, the writing is '허술하다'. If a strict boss suddenly forgets their own rules, they look surprisingly '허술하다'.
Other sides of 허술하다
◆ work product or plan — Speakers use this to describe plans, arguments, and work processes that are sloppy, unpolished, or insufficiently detailed. It pairs with nouns like 논리, 짜임새, and 규정, as well as operational contexts like 일 처리 and 범행. In conversation, it appears when pointing out a flaw in reasoning or assessing an incomplete procedure.
Pointing out that a plan or argument is 허술하다 can feel direct, often prompting the listener to defend the thoroughness of their work or reasoning.
Pointing out that a plan or argument is 허술하다 can feel direct, often prompting the listener to defend the thoroughness of their work or reasoning.
How it's actually used
- 그 영화는 반전은 좋았는데 범행 계획이 너무 허술해서 아쉬웠어요.
geu yeonghwaneun banjereun jo-assneunde beomhaeng gyehoegi neomu heosulhaeseo aswiwosseoyo.
The movie had a nice plot twist, but it was a shame that the crime plan was way too sloppy.
💡 Used to describe a weak or poorly thought-out plan. - 건물 보안이 너무 허술해서 아무나 출입할 수 있을 것 같아요.
geonmul boani neomu heosulhaeseo amuna churiphal su isseul geot gatayo.
The building security is so lax that I feel like just about anyone could walk in.
💡 Used to describe inadequate physical security or structure. - 보안이 이렇게 허술해서야 중요한 기밀을 지킬 수 있겠어?
Boani ireoke heosulhaeseoya jung-yohan gimireul jikil su isgesseo?
With security this sloppy and full of holes, how can we protect vital secrets?
💡 Used when plans, security systems, or organizations lack proper rigor.
Related words in Personality Traits
덤벙대다 deom-beong-dae-da꼼꼼하다 kkom-kkom-ha-da털털하다 teol-teol-ha-da까칠하다 kka-chil-ha-da얌전하다 yam-jeon-ha-da