안녕하세요
annyeong-haseyo[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo]
안녕하세요 (annyeong-haseyo) is the Korean way to say good afternoon. Wiktionary also lists 안녕 (annyeong) and 좋은 오후에요 (jo'eun ohu-eyo).
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeong-haseyo | [a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 안녕 | annyeong | [a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
| 좋은 오후에요 | jo'eun ohu-eyo | uncommon |
안녕하세요 is a common and versatile way to say good afternoon in Korean. Similarly, 안녕 can be used to say hello or good afternoon among friends or peers.
What does it mean word for word?
The root of 안녕 literally means peace or well-being.
Which one should you use?
The form 좋은 오후에요 is also a way to say good afternoon, but it is uncommon.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕하세요 is the polite form used with strangers or superiors. In contrast, 안녕 is used only with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong-haseyo
When do people say it?
In Korean culture, it is considered polite to bow slightly when saying hello to someone older or in a higher position.
Did you know?
- In modern Korean digital culture, 안녕 is often shortened to just the first consonant ㅇㄴ in fast-paced text messages.
- The root of the greeting 안녕 is composed of two different Chinese characters that both mean 'peace' or 'serenity'.
- In professional settings, the bow that accompanies 안녕하세요 may vary in depth, with a 45-degree angle showing more respect than a slight nod.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요.Good afternoon.This sentence shows how to use 안녕하세요.Tatoeba #392055 by Sushiman, translation #499689 by CK
- 안녕하세요, 선생님. 좋은 오후 보내세요.Good afternoon, teacher. Have a nice afternoon.
- 안녕, 친구야. 오후 잘 보내!Hey, buddy. Have a good afternoon!
- 안녕하세요, 선생님.annyeonghaseyo, seonsaengnim.Good afternoon, teacher.
Example conversation
Subin meets Jihoon at a cafe in the afternoon.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨, 안녕하세요.Jihoon ssi, annyeonghaseyo.Good afternoon, Jihoon.
- 지훈 Ji-hun아, 수빈 씨! 안녕하세요.A, Subin ssi! annyeonghaseyo.Oh, Subin! Good afternoon.
- 수빈 Su-bin오늘 날씨가 참 좋네요.oneul nalssiga cham jonneyo.The weather is really nice today.
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 정말 기분이 좋아요.ne, jeongmal gibuni joayo.Yes, I feel really good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries 안녕하세요, 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, 안녕하세요, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
