그는 내 짝사랑이야
geuneun nae jjaksarang-iya
The English phrase 'he is my crush' is expressed in Korean as 그는 내 짝사랑이야 (geuneun nae jjaksarang-iya).
This phrase is used to say that a person has a romantic attraction to someone who does not know or return the feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
The core of the phrase is 짝사랑 (jjaksarang), which literally means 'one-sided love' or 'unrequited love'.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English 'crush', which can sometimes imply a mutual or known attraction, the Korean term 짝사랑 specifically emphasizes that the affection is unrequited.
How does it change in a sentence?
The sentence ends with the informal copula -이야 (-iya), making it suitable for casual conversation with friends.
How do you pronounce it?
geuneun nae jjaksarang-iya
Did you know?
- The word 짝 in 짝사랑 originally refers to a 'mate' or 'pair'. By adding it to 'love', the phrase describes a love that is missing its other half.
- In Korean pop culture, 짝사랑 is often portrayed as a bittersweet 'growing pain' of youth rather than a simple attraction.
- The word 내 (my) is a homophone for the Sino-Korean word for 'inside' or 'inner', though they have entirely different origins.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a classmate.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo너 저 사람 좋아해?neo jeo saram joahae?Do you like that person?
- 서연 Seo-yeon응, 그는 내 짝사랑이야.eung, geuneun nae jjak-sarang-iya.Yes, he is my crush.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말? 고백해 봐!jeongmal? gobaek-hae bwa!Really? Try confessing to him!
- 서연 Seo-yeon너무 부끄러워.neomu bukkeureowo.I'm too embarrassed.
