Hangul Syllable Jyae

It points to a person away from both of you.

Language guidance defines 쟤 as the shortened form of 저 아이 (“that child”). It teams with 얘 (이 아이, near you) and 걔 (그 아이, near the listener): three distances, not three spellings. The squeeze turns a two-word phrase into one quick pointer.

Korean 저 can mark physical distance or something already mentioned in talk, so 쟤 can point at someone across the room or across the story. The 아이 base still keeps it casual, never formal.

Is 쟤 rude?

It can be, especially for an older or unfamiliar person.

The word is not automatically rude, but it frames the person as 아이, a casual child-like referent. With a close friend, younger person, or child it can be neutral, fond, or annoyed. In a 2025 National Institute of Korean Language answer, 얘, 걔, and 쟤 were all judged inappropriate for referring to an older person in private conversation.

Use a name, title, or 저분 for a respectful reference. If a message uses 쟤 as the subject, read it as third-person pointing: the writer is talking about that person, not to you.