치고는
for a …, considering
Judges something against what its category would lead you to expect. One syllable apart from 치고, and the meanings have nothing in common.
Build it
Pick a category
When to use it
치고는 attaches to a noun without changing shape, and contracts to 치곤 in speech. To judge a whole clause, nominalise it first: 처음 만든 것치고는.
The category sets an expectation, and the sentence says the thing departs from it: 초보치고는 잘하네요 — good, given that they’re a beginner.
It usually exceeds expectation, which makes it a common form of praise. But it works downward too: 여름치고는 시원해요.
One caution: because it measures against a low bar, praise with 치고는 is qualified. 잘하시네요 is a compliment; 초보치고는 잘하시네요 reminds the listener that they are a beginner. To someone senior it can land badly.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any noun | 치고는 | 초보치고는 |
| Spoken contraction | 치곤 | 초보치곤 |
| After a clause | -(으)ㄴ/는 것치고는 | 처음 만든 것치고는 |
| Exceeding expectation | usual case | 초보치고는 잘해요 |
| Falling short | also possible | 여름치고는 시원해요 |
| Without 는 | a different construction | 초보치고 … 없다 |
In use
초보치고는 정말 잘하시네요.
You’re doing really well, for a beginner.
여름치고는 날씨가 시원한 편이에요.
It’s fairly cool, for summer.
가격치고는 품질이 훌륭해요.
The quality is excellent for the price.
처음 만든 것치고는 맛있는데요?
Not bad at all, considering it’s your first go.
한국에 온 지 얼마 안 된 사람치고는 한국어를 잘해요.
His Korean is good for someone who’s only just arrived.
주말치곤 사람이 별로 없네요.
There aren’t many people, for a weekend.
Compared with
치고
The 는 is doing all the work. Without it, the phrase asserts a universal rule and needs a negative; with it, the phrase judges one case against expectation.
초보치고 잘하는 사람 없어요. (no beginner is good) / 초보치고는 잘해요. (good for a beginner)
-에 비해서
에 비해서 compares against a specific benchmark; 치고는 compares against what a category implies. The second carries a note of surprise.
작년에 비해 시원해요. (than last year) / 여름치고는 시원해요. (for a summer)
Qualified praise
Because it names a low bar, this is praise with a condition attached. Dropping the phrase makes the compliment unqualified.
초보치고는 잘하시네요. (for a beginner) / 정말 잘하시네요. (simply well)
Watch out
초보치고 잘하시네요. — meaning “good for a beginner”
초보치고는 잘하시네요.
Without 는, the phrase belongs to the universal-negative construction and the sentence does not parse as praise.
처음 만들었치고는 맛있어요.
처음 만든 것치고는 맛있어요.
치고는 attaches to a noun. A clause has to be nominalised with 것 first.
부장님, 나이치고는 젊어 보이세요.
부장님, 정말 젊어 보이십니다.
Praise measured against a low bar draws attention to the bar. Aimed at a superior it reads as a backhanded compliment.
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