새해 복 많이 받으세요
saehae bok mani badeuseyo[sʰɛɦɛ po̞ŋma̠ni pa̠dɯsʰe̞jo]
Happy New Year in Korean is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bok mani badeuseyo). If unsure, use 새해 복 많이 받으세요. Wiktionary also lists 새해를 축하합니다 (saehae-reul chukhahamnida).
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 새해 복 많이 받으세요 | saehae bok mani badeuseyo | [sʰɛɦɛ po̞ŋma̠ni pa̠dɯsʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ɦe̞ po̞ŋma̠ni pa̠dɯsʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 새해를 축하합니다 | saehae-reul chukhahamnida | [sʰɛɦɛɾɯɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦa̠mnida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ɦe̞ɾɯɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦa̠mnida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
North Korea |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 새해 복 많이 받으세요 literally translates to 'Please receive much new year's luck'.
Which one should you use?
While 새해 복 많이 받으세요 is the standard polite way to wish someone a happy new year, 새해를 축하합니다 is a more direct translation of 'congratulations on the new year' used primarily in North Korea.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite way to wish someone a happy new year is 새해 복 많이 받으세요. For an even more formal expression, you can use 새해 복 많이 받으십시오. To wish someone a happy new year informally, such as to a close friend or someone younger, you can use 새해 복 많이 받아.
Is it said differently in some regions?
새해를 축하합니다 is used in North Korea.
How do you pronounce it?
saehae bok mani badeuseyo
When do people say it?
In Korea, it is customary to bow while saying New Year greetings.
Did you know?
- The term 복 can also refer to a pufferfish in Korean, though it uses a different Chinese character.
- While the phrase means 'Happy New Year', it is an imperative request for the other person to 'receive' luck rather than a statement of happiness.
- The word 복 (fortune) is a Sino-Korean word, meaning its roots are actually tied to Chinese characters, specifically the character 福.
Examples in context
- 엄마, 아빠 항상 건강하시고 새해 복 많이 받으세요!Mom and Dad, please stay healthy and Happy New Year!This sentence is useful for wishing parents health and a happy new year using 새해 복 많이 받으세요.
- 새해 복 많이 받으세요.Happy New Year!This sentence is useful for a simple happy new year greeting using 새해 복 많이 받으세요.Tatoeba #373236 by kotobaboke, translation #361350 by blay_paul
- 할머니, 새해 복 많이 받으세요.halmeoni, saehae bok mani badeuseyo.Grandmother, happy new year.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon exchange greetings on New Year's Day.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 새해 복 많이 받으세요.Seoyeon ssi, saehae bok mani badeuseyo.Seoyeon, happy new year.
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준 씨도 새해 복 많이 받으세요.Minjun ssi-do saehae bok mani badeuseyo.Happy new year to you too, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun올 한 해도 잘 부탁드립니다.ol han hae-do jal butakdeurimnida.I look forward to working with you this year too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 건강하고 행복한 한 해 되세요.ne, geon-ganghago haengbokhan han hae doeseyo.Yes, have a healthy and happy year.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries 새해 복 많이 받으세요, 새해를 축하합니다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 복, 새해, 새해 복 많이 받으세요, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
