안녕히 계세요
annyeonghi gyeseyo[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋʝi kje̞sʰe̞jo]
In Korean, "kind regards" is expressed as 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo).
안녕히 계세요 is used as a polite closing for a message. While the phrase 정중한 인사 올리며 specifically translates to "With kind regards" for formal messages, and 애정어린 인사 전할게 is used for "Sending affectionate regards" in informal contexts,
Meaning: polite closing of a letter (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghi gyeseyo
Did you know?
- The phrase 안녕히 계세요 literally instructs the listener to 'remain in peace', making it unsuitable to say to someone who is also leaving.
- In very formal business letters, Koreans often use 올림 (ollim) instead of a phrase meaning 'stay', which literally means 'offering/raising' something up to the recipient.
- The word 'peace' in 안녕히 is derived from the Hanja characters 安 (peace/stability) and 寧 (tranquility).
Example conversation
Hyunwoo is leaving Seoyeon's office after a meeting.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo오늘 정말 감사했습니다.Oneul jeongmal gamsahaetseumnida.Thank you very much for today.
- 서연 Seo-yeon아니에요, 고생 많으셨어요.Anieyo, gosaeng maneusyeosseoyo.Not at all, you worked hard.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그럼 저는 가보겠습니다. 안녕히 계세요.Geureom jeoneun gabogetseumnida. Annyeonghi gyeseyo.I will be going now. Kind regards.
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 조심히 들어가세요.Ne, josimhi deureogaseyo.Yes, please get home safely.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕히 계세요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕히, CC BY-SA 4.0.
