귀여워
gwiyeowocasual, everyday
In Hangul "cute" is written 귀엽다 (gwiyeopda). In conversation people say 귀여워 (gwiyeowo) to friends and 귀여워요 (gwiyeowoyo) in polite speech.
Meaning: adjective for something small, lovely or charming (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 귀여워 | gwiyeowo | casual, everyday |
| 귀여워요 | gwiyeowoyo | polite |
| 귀엽다 | gwiyeopda | dictionary form |
Koreans use it for babies, pets, small objects and also for people, often with a laugh. A common reaction to a photo of a puppy is simply 귀여워!
What does it mean word for word?
The stem 귀엽 (gwiyeop) changes shape before endings, so 귀엽다 becomes 귀여워 when you speak. Korean learners often notice that the final ㅂ turns into 워 in this change.
How do you pronounce it?
귀 sounds like "gwi" and 여 like "yeo". Say gwi-yeo-wo with each syllable short and even.
Did you know?
- The Korean word 귀여워 is one of the most common reactions on social media photos of pets and children.
Examples in context
- 이 강아지 너무 귀여워!I gangaji neomu gwiyeowo!This puppy is so cute!
- 아기가 정말 귀여워요.Agiga jeongmal gwiyeowoyo.The baby is really cute.
- 그 가방 귀엽다.Geu gabang gwiyeopda.That bag is cute.
Example conversation
Mina shows her friend Jisu a photo of her new puppy.
- Mina내 강아지 사진 봐!Nae gangaji sajin bwa!Look at my puppy photo!
- Jisu와, 너무 귀여워!Wa, neomu gwiyeowo!Wow, so cute!
- Mina이름은 콩이야.Ireumeun kongiya.Her name is Kong.
