The Korean we use every day has as many unfamiliar expressions as familiar ones.
To mark Hangeul Day on October 9, ETC_ZINE has put together a collection of Korean words we rarely encounter, presenting them alongside photographs.
The words featured here are more than just pleasing sounds or words with special meanings. What they share is an ability to express the feelings and scenes we encounter in daily life with greater nuance—and sometimes a touch of humor.
Discovering that even moments we would ordinarily pass by have names gives us a small reason to look at Korean anew.
Words That Name Everyday Moments
‘자몽하다’ is an adjective meaning mentally foggy, as though sleepy. Despite a name that may bring the fruit to mind, it describes a languid, hazy moment.
‘별늬,’ meanwhile, means sunlight that briefly shines through a small gap. It calls to mind a familiar scene we might never have thought to name: light filtering through a window or between leaves.
‘사랑옵다’ is another striking expression. It means that someone’s appearance or behavior is so endearing as to inspire love, naturally evoking the feeling of looking at a cute animal or a lovable person.
Such short words can conjure a scene without a lengthy explanation, adding new meaning to familiar sights.
Korean Words for Relationships and Feelings
The charm of Korean can also be found in words that describe relationships between people.
‘괄’ means the affection felt for someone considered especially cute; ‘뚜앗’ refers to affection between siblings; and ‘너나들이’ describes a relationship in which people are at ease with one another. All three convey closeness and affection, but each is used in a different situation.
‘도란도란’ describes several people talking warmly in low voices, its very sound evoking an affectionate atmosphere. ‘다소니’ is also widely introduced as a word meaning a loved one.
Looking at these words reveals that even the feeling of liking and cherishing someone cannot be captured by a single expression.
Expressions Made More Memorable by Their Cuteness and Quirkiness
Not every Korean word carries a lyrical or beautiful meaning.
‘옴포동이’ means a soft, plump child, while ‘구쁘다’ describes the hollow feeling in your stomach that makes you want to keep eating. Part of the fun is comparing what the words suggest at first hearing with what they actually mean.
Add ‘푸푸하다,’ meaning ample and lacking nothing; ‘시룽시룽,’ describing someone acting frivolously or mischievously; and ‘얄라차,’ an exclamation prompted by something wrong or surprising, and the range of expression in Korean becomes clear.
These words become especially easy to grasp when paired with photos of cute animals or familiar scenes from broadcasts, offering a different kind of enjoyment from encountering them only in a dictionary.
On Hangeul Day, Taking Another Look at the Words We Use
Hangeul Day commemorates the creation of Hangeul, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on the many words we have recorded and passed down in that script.
Some expressions are hardly used today, while others remain a natural part of everyday life. Each word, though, holds something of people’s feelings, lives and ways of seeing the world.
This Hangeul Day, why not try remembering one Korean word you didn’t know before?
Perhaps familiar everyday life will look a little different once you know it.
