Nuance Dictionary / Social Dynamics
뻔뻔하다 ppeon-ppeon-ha-da
Shameless, brazen, and completely lacking any sense of guilt
What does 뻔뻔하다 mean?
뻔뻔하다 (ppeon-ppeon-ha-da) means: Shameless, brazen, and completely lacking any sense of guilt.
When someone cuts the entire line at a grocery store and acts like it's their given right, they are '뻔뻔하다'. It's the infuriating ability to do something wrong and not feel even 1% of embarrassment.
Other sides of 뻔뻔하다
◆ shameless self-praise — Speakers use this adjective to describe someone who remains completely calm, nonchalant, or unbothered after committing a wrongful or embarrassing act. It frequently appears in negative assessments of character or behavior, combining with nouns like얼굴, 태도, and 행동. In conversations, speakers often point out this behavior in others when someone is caught in a lie or refuses to apologize for causing harm.
While dictionaries strictly define this as negative, friends sometimes use it playfully or ironically among themselves to take exaggerated credit for minor achievements or boast about trivial things.
◆ toxic gaslighting — Speakers use this term to condemn someone who commits a serious wrong, fails to show remorse, and acts entirely unbothered afterward. It frequently appears in discussions of severe misconduct, such as causing direct harm to others, fabricating lies, or pushing through improper actions while refusing to apologize. It combines with nouns describing facial expressions, physical appearance, speech, and overall behavior, such as 낯짝, 얼굴, 상판대기, 언행, 태도, and 행동.
When directed at someone denying undeniable fault, this can sound like a total withdrawal of trust, framing the target not just as dishonest but as fundamentally untethered from basic social accountability.
While dictionaries strictly define this as negative, friends sometimes use it playfully or ironically among themselves to take exaggerated credit for minor achievements or boast about trivial things.
◆ toxic gaslighting — Speakers use this term to condemn someone who commits a serious wrong, fails to show remorse, and acts entirely unbothered afterward. It frequently appears in discussions of severe misconduct, such as causing direct harm to others, fabricating lies, or pushing through improper actions while refusing to apologize. It combines with nouns describing facial expressions, physical appearance, speech, and overall behavior, such as 낯짝, 얼굴, 상판대기, 언행, 태도, and 행동.
When directed at someone denying undeniable fault, this can sound like a total withdrawal of trust, framing the target not just as dishonest but as fundamentally untethered from basic social accountability.
How it's actually used
- 어떻게 자기 이익만 챙기면서 저렇게 뻔뻔할 수 있지?
eotteoh-ge jagi ig-ikman chaenggimyeoseo jeoreoke ppeonpeonhal su itji?
How can someone be so shameless as to only look out for their own interests?
💡 Expresses frustration at someone's brazen behavior. - 사과는커녕 오히려 큰소리를 치다니 정말 뻔뻔하네요.
sagwaneun-keonyeo ohiryeo keunsorireul chidani jeongmal ppeonppeonhaneyo.
Far from apologizing, he is actually raising his voice—how truly shameless.
💡 Used to express indignation at someone's unrepentant, brazen attitude. - 자기 잘못을 들켰는데도 그렇게 뻔뻔하게 나올 수가 있어요?
jagi jalmoseul deulkyeotneundedo geureoke ppeonpeonhage naol suga isseoyo?
How can they act so brazenly even after getting caught doing something wrong?
💡 Used to express disbelief at someone's total lack of remorse.
Related words in Social Dynamics
솔직하다 sol-jik-ha-da능글맞다 neung-geul-mat-da싹싹하다 ssak-ssak-ha-da무뚝뚝하다 mu-ttuk-ttuk-ha-da깐깐하다 kkan-kkan-ha-da