Your Korean vocabulary staples are here!
Korea is such a beautiful country. It has beautiful scenery, from mountains and forests to islands and beaches, but it also has beautiful people. In addition to all of this, they have a way with words and have the cutest one-liners and words to deliver!
Here’s your list of 10 cute Korean words you should know.
Aegyo
If you are an avid K-drama or K-pop fan, you might already be familiar with this word. It is now a huge trend in South Korean culture where someone acts adorably and cutesy to appear pleasant and appealing despite not being a young child themselves.
What’s interesting is that some men also do this, too, and it’s not a big deal.
Annyeonghigaseyo
Like the Japanese language, there are different ways to say something in various contexts. Let’s say you are leaving and want to say goodbye to a friend. Koreans do not always use the same term, as it depends on whether the person they are saying goodbye to is leaving or if the listener is staying and the speaker is leaving.
If the listener is leaving, you would say “annyeonghigaseyo,” which means goodbye. An informal expression would be “jal gayo” or “jal ga” which translates to “go well.”
If your friend is staying and you are saying goodbye, you will say “annyeonghigyeseyo,” which means “stay well.”
Gahmsahabnida
There’s no better feeling than being able to show gratitude to your friends, and thanking someone for it is the basic decency and authentic manner. Saying “gahmsahabnida” is the most common formal way to say thanks and what you can consider your safe go-to for most situations. The phrase is used on a general formal level, something which you would use for strangers or those who are older than you, both in age or rank.
One informal way to thank someone is by saying “gomawo.” There are not any special formality endings for this phrase, which means it’s reserved for friends, siblings, or those who are younger or the same as you.
Bungeobbangida
This cute little word is a popular Korean fish-shaped pastry. Usually, it is stuffed with a sweet red bean filling, though you might also find it served with things like shu cream or ice cream inside. This snack is made with a press and results in the pastries looking similar to each other.
Of course, those who don’t speak Korean may not understand the word. They may not understand or misinterpret it, so be careful when using this word, especially when buying fish-shaped pastries at a convenience store.
Jagiya
This is perhaps the most popular of the Korean terms of love between couples, and it means “honey,” “darling,” or “baby,” which you are likely to hear among couples in K-dramas. You can also just shorten it to “jagi.” It is used for both men and women.
Nae sarang
This term of endear’/ment can directly be translated as “my love.” It is similar to “jagiya” in how couples use it. This term is used with both males and females.
Oppa
Although the literal translation for this word is “brother”, it has a deeper meaning. Oppa is also a common term for girls and women to use with their boyfriends and husbands. The term is used both directly with your partner and when talking about him to others.
Noon-chi
This phrase refers to the skill of being aware of another person’s feelings, thoughts, and emotions to assess and react appropriately to a situation. A person with good noon-chi can read other’s body language or voices to understand their real feelings. On the other hand, someone with bad noon-chi is said to lack tact or observational abilities.
Sseom-ta-da
Do you know the situation where two people have to pretend to be fake dating? Then, later on, they develop feelings. It’s the “sseom-ta-da” predicament, as the Koreans call it. Many people believe “sseom-ta-da” is currently happening. And until anything more severe happens, it will magically “go along” like that effect of “ta-da.”
Yeppeun
You can use this expression when talking to people who are older or not particularly close to you. The slang word “ippeoyo” can be used, but it is recommended to use “yeppeoyo” instead. If you want to let someone Koreans know how beautiful their country is or how beautiful they are, then you will need to know how to say beautiful in Korean.