Korean slang profile

근자감

geunjagam

Confidence that things will go well despite having no clear grounds for it.

Expanded form: 근거 없는 자신감groundless confidence
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Feb 28, 2024
Documented trend period: Not verified

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
연습은 안 했는데 우승할 거라는 건 근자감 아니야?
Isn’t expecting to win without practicing just 근자감?

02Documented history

February 2024뉴시스 expanded the original expression in parentheses while introducing a TV participant’s confident remarks.[1]

03Origin & word formation

Short for ‘근거 없는 자신감’ (groundless confidence). A 2024 source from 뉴시스 confirms this formation or explanation. Who first used it and when could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The formation and usage were checked in the source. Who first coined it and when it was first used need further comparison.

04Sources

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.

'허당 요리사' 박시후는 "손을 대면 음식 맛이 달라진다" (뉴시스)Published Feb 28, 2024Original source checked Nov 13, 2026