안녕
annyeong[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ]
안녕 (annyeong) is the Korean way to say casual hello.
안녕 is an informal way to say hi or hey. In casual speech, it is versatile and can be used as both a greeting (hi) and a parting (bye).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 안녕 literally means 'peace' or 'well-being'.
Which one should you use?
While 안녕 is a casual greeting, 안녕하세요 is the standard polite form used with strangers, elders or in professional settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕 is an informal greeting. It is appropriate to use with friends, siblings or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong
Did you know?
- In digital slang, Koreans often shorten 안녕 to just the first consonant ㅇㄴ when texting friends to save time.
- If you use 안녕 with someone older than you, it is not just considered impolite, it can be perceived as a direct insult to their social status.
- The characters composing 안녕 are actually two different Chinese characters that originally combined to mean 'peaceful and tranquil'.
Examples in context
- 안녕, 잘 지냈어?annyeong, jal jinaesseo?Hi, have you been doing well?
- 안녕, 오랜만이야!annyeong, oraenmaniya!Hi, it's been a long time!
- 안녕, 오늘 뭐 해?annyeong, oneul mwo hae?Hi, what are you doing today?
Example conversation
Two close friends meet at a cafe.
- 서연 Seo-yeon안녕, 도현아!annyeong, dohyeon-a!Hi, Dohyeon!
- 도현 Do-hyeon어, 서연아. 왔어?eo, seoyeon-a. wasseo?Oh, Seoyeon. Are you here?
- 서연 Seo-yeon응, 많이 기다렸어?eung, mani gidaryeosseo?Yeah, have you been waiting long?
- 도현 Do-hyeon아니, 방금 왔어.ani, banggeum wasseo.No, I just arrived.
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.
