짝사랑
The English phrase crush translates to Korean as 짝사랑.
짝사랑 refers to a one-sided love or a crush. While English uses the word crush to describe both the feeling itself and the person you have feelings for, 짝사랑 specifically refers to the state of unrequited or one-sided love.
Meaning: love or infatuation or its object (often short-lived or unrequited) (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 짝사랑 is composed of 짝, meaning one side or pair and 사랑, meaning love, which literally translates to 'one-sided love'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the action of having a crush or loving someone one-sidedly, you use the verb 하다 (to do) with the noun to form the phrase 짝사랑을 하다.
Did you know?
- The word 짝 is also used in the term 짝꿍, which means a desk partner or a close buddy in school, creating a linguistic link between childhood companionship and romantic longing.
- In Korean pop culture and dramas, 짝사랑 is frequently portrayed as a 'beautiful pain', focusing more on the nobility of loving someone from afar than on the frustration of not being loved back.
- The word 짝 in 짝사랑 originally refers to one half of a pair. This implies that the person experiencing the crush is a 'single' or 'mismatched' piece without its partner.
Examples in context
- 저는 좋아하는 사람이 있어요.I have someone I like.
- 너 마음에 들어.I like you.
- 나 너에게 반했어.I have fallen for you.
- 그건 아주 오래된 짝사랑이었어요.geugeon aju oraedoen jjakseurang-ieosseoyo.It was a very long-term crush.
- 짝사랑은 정말 힘들어요.jjakseurang-eun jeongmal himdeureoyo.Having a crush is really hard.
- 제 짝사랑은 비밀이에요.je jjakseurang-eun bimirieyo.My crush is a secret.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their romantic feelings.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지 씨, 혹시 좋아하는 사람이 있어요?Minji ssi, hoksi joahaneun sarami isseoyo?Minji, do you happen to have someone you like?
- 민지 Min-ji사실 저 짝사랑 하는 사람이 있어요.sasil jeo jjak-sarang haneun sarami isseoyo.Actually, there is someone I have a crush on.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말요? 누구인지 알려줄 수 있어요?jeongmallyo? nugu-inji allyeojul su isseoyo?Really? Can you tell me who it is?
- 민지 Min-ji아직은 비밀로 하고 싶어요.ajigeun bimillo hago sipeoyo.I want to keep it a secret for now.
