A few days ago, a friend of mine (a Korean-American) showed me a photo of a guy she met on a blind date on her phone.

He was clearly a strong man with broad shoulders and a thick neck.

My friend chuckled and said,

I thought he looked that way too. But it seems some people might not know expressions like dominant.

So today, I'll share some common expressions used when looking at someone's appearance.

First, let's talk about dominant.

Dominant simply means a person who is assertive.

They make decisions well, are confident, and have a leadership style.

For example, if you see a photo from a blind date and say

"He looks dominant."

it means

"That person looks confident."

"They seem to have leadership qualities."

"They probably will take the lead on the date."

Let's look at an example:

A: What do you think about him?

B: He looks dominant.

A: Yeah, he seems very confident.

In translation:

A: What do you think of that guy?

B: He seems confident and assertive.

A: Right. He looks confident.

That's how it goes.

Next is submissive.

This word is one that many students have asked about recently.

Submissive refers to a compliant and accommodating style.

It's not always a bad thing.

It can also mean being kind and considerate.

However, in a blind date context, it often implies

"He seems a bit too passive."

For example, if you say

"He looks submissive."

it can mean

"He probably isn't the type to lead."

"He seems to be accommodating to others."

Here's an example:

A: Would you date him?

B: Maybe not.

A: Why?

B: He looks a little submissive.

A: I see what you mean.

In translation:

A: Are you going to date that guy?

B: I'm not sure.

A: Why?

B: He seems a bit too passive.

A: I get what you mean.

That's about it.

Now, the most interesting word.

Subversive.

This is a word that many Koreans hear for the first time.

Its original meaning refers to someone who disrupts existing rules or order.

However, in a blind date context, it's used a bit differently.

If you say

"He looks subversive."

it can mean

"He seems unconventional."

"He has a bit of a rebellious vibe."

"He probably dislikes rules."

"He gives off a bad boy vibe."

Here's an example:

A: What do you think of this guy?

B: He looks kind of subversive.

A: Really?

B: Yeah. Like he doesn't follow the rules.

In translation:

A: What do you think of this guy?

B: He seems a bit rebellious.

A: Really?

B: Yeah. He seems like he wouldn't follow the rules.

That's the meaning.

Interestingly, American women often make these assessments based on just one photo.

If a guy is dressed in a suit and smiling, they might say

"He looks dominant."

If he looks friendly but too passive, they might say

"He looks submissive."

And if he's wearing a leather jacket with a playful expression, they might say

"He looks subversive."

Of course, judging a person based on just one photo isn't accurate.

But Americans really often use these words to describe someone's energy or vibe.

Next time your American friend uses these terms while looking at a blind date photo, you'll understand what they mean right away.