불안
buran[puɾa̠n]
Anxiety in Korean is 불안 (buran).
불안 refers to a state of uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension or obsession.
Meaning: state of uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
You can turn the noun 불안 into an adjective or verb by adding the suffix –하다, resulting in 불안하다, which means to be anxious or to feel uneasy. To specifically describe the act of feeling anxiety, you can use the phrase 불안을 느끼다.
How do you pronounce it?
buran
When do people say it?
If you want to specifically refer to the sensation or the 'sense' of anxiety, you can add the suffix –감 to the noun to create 불안감, which means a sense of anxiety.
Did you know?
- The word 불안 is built from the idea of 'not being at peace'. The character 安 means 'peace' or 'comfort', so the word literally describes a state where 'peace' is 'not' present.
- In casual conversation, Koreans may avoid the formal word 불안 and instead use verbs that describe physical sensations, such as saying they are 'shaking' or 'on edge'.
- The phrase 불안한 사람 can describe someone who is not just nervous, but fundamentally 'unstable' as a person.
Examples in context
- 시험 때문에 불안해요.si-heom ttae-mun-e bul-an-hae-yo.I feel anxious because of the exam.
- 갑자기 불안이 몰려왔어요.gap-ja-gi bul-an-i mol-lyeo-wat-eo-yo.Anxiety suddenly rushed over me.
- 그는 불안을 느끼고 있어요.geu-neun bul-an-eul neu-ki-go it-eo-yo.He is feeling anxiety.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Subin are talking about an upcoming presentation.
- 지훈 Ji-hun발표 때문에 너무 불안해요.balpyo ttaemune neomu buranhaeyo.I'm so anxious because of the presentation.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨, 너무 걱정하지 마세요.Jihoon ssi, neomu geokjeonghaji maseyo.Jihoon, please don't worry too much.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 불안이 사라지지 않아요.i burani sarajiji anayo.This anxiety won't go away.
- 수빈 Su-bin심호흡을 하면 도움이 될 거예요.simhoheubeul hamyeon doumi doel geoyeyo.Taking a deep breath will help.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 불안, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 불안, CC BY-SA 4.0.
