Korean slang profile

수포자

supoja

Someone who has given up, or feels they have given up, studying mathematics.

Expanded form: 수학 포기자someone who has given up mathematics
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Jan 28, 2026
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
어렵다고 바로 수포자라고 생각하지 말고 기초 문제부터 풀어 보자.
Rather than immediately calling yourself a 수포자 because it is difficult, try the basics first.

02Documented history

January 2026서울경제 gave 수학 포기자 as the expanded form while covering a survey on students’ mathematics learning.[1]

03Origin & word formation

Short for ‘수학 포기자’ (someone who has given up mathematics). A 2026 source from 서울경제 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.

“아들도 수포자니?”“당연하죠”...수학 학원에 돈만 나가는 수포자 비율 ‘심각 상태’, 왜? (서울경제)Published Jan 28, 2026Original source checked Nov 13, 2026