안녕
annyeong[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ]
안녕 (annyeong) is the Korean way to say hello or goodbye.
안녕 is a versatile phrase used both when arriving to say hello and when leaving to say goodbye. It is an informal greeting appropriate for friends, peers or people of a lower social status.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 안녕 literally means 'peace' or 'well-being'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕 is a casual version of the more formal Annyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요). You should use the casual 안녕 only in informal settings with friends or people younger than you. In contrast, Koreans use Annyeonghaseyo when meeting someone for the first time, when entering a place or when addressing someone higher in rank or older than them.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 안녕 with superiors or people in professional settings, as this can be perceived as rude.
Did you know?
- Although 안녕 is the standard informal greeting, close friends may avoid it entirely and instead ask 밥 먹었니?, which means 'Did you eat?' This serves as a social greeting that expresses care for the other person's well-being.
- In Korean drama and film, a character suddenly switching from the formal 안녕하세요 to the informal 안녕 is a common narrative device. This shift signals a desire to break social barriers and become intimate or close friends.
- The word 안녕 comes from two different Chinese characters, where the first character 安 means 'peace' and the second character 寧 means 'serenity'.
Examples in context
- 안녕, 잘 지냈어?annyeong, jal jinaesseo?Hi, have you been doing well?
- 친구야, 안녕!chinguya, annyeong!Hey friend, hello!
- 나 먼저 갈게, 안녕.na meonjeo galge, annyeong.I'm leaving first, bye.
Example conversation
Subin and Jihun meet at a cafe.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈아, 안녕!jihuna, annyeong!Jihun, hi!
- 지훈 Ji-hun수빈아, 안녕. 오랜만이야.subina, annyeong. oraenmaniya.Subin, hi. It's been a long time.
- 수빈 Su-bin응, 정말 오랜만이다!eung, jeongmal oraenmani da!Yeah, it really has been a long time!
- 지훈 Ji-hun커피 한 잔 할까?keopi han jan halkka?Shall we have a cup of coffee?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
