Korean slang profile
십장생
sipjangsaeng
Wordplay about teenagers’ employment anxiety
Wordplay abbreviating “even teenagers should think about future unemployment,” figuratively expressing employment anxiety. This differs from 십장생 as a traditional decorative motif.
- Expanded form
- 10대들도 장차 백수를 생각해야 한다even teenagers should think about future unemployment
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Aug 2, 2006
- 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
당시 취업난을 다룬 기사에는 십장생이라는 말까지 등장했다.
An article about employment difficulties at the time even included the expression 십장생.
02Documented history
- 2006-08-02This source introduced “십장생” and explained its meaning.[1]
03Origin & word formation
It shortens 10대들도 장차 백수를 생각해야 한다. A Kukmin Ilbo article republished on Daum gives the expression together with its expanded form. Who first used it and when have not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The article’s explanation of wordplay about employment anxiety was checked. It does not represent actual employment prospects or statistics by age. First use remains unverified.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- ‘정우성’ ‘우행시’ ‘여병추’…줄임말의 미학? 유희? (국민일보 / 다음 전재)Published Aug 2, 2006Original source checked Nov 14, 2026