웃다
utda[ˈu(ː)t̚t͈a̠]
The English verb laugh is translated into Korean as 웃다 (utda).
웃다 means to show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face and emission of sounds. You can use the phrase 크게 웃다 to say laugh loudly. In terms of related nouns, 웃음 and 웃음소리 refer to the expression of mirth peculiar to the human species. In basic vocabulary studies, 웃다 is often contrasted with 울다, which means to cry.
Meaning: show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face and emission of sounds (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In everyday conversation, the verb 웃다 is conjugated to 웃어요. In professional or public settings, it is conjugated to 웃습니다. To express the continuous action of laughing, use the form 웃고 있다.
How do you pronounce it?
utda
Did you know?
- The word 웃다 first appeared in written records as 胡住 in the Jīlín lèishì as early as 1103.
- In Korean culture, covering one's mouth while 웃다 is often a sign of politeness or modesty, especially for women in formal settings.
- In modern Korean internet slang, the letter 'ㅋ' is used to represent the sound of laughing, much like 'lol' is used in English.
Examples in context
- 웃음 소리Laughing sound
- 오늘 웃을 일이 참 많았어.There were so many things to laugh about today.
- 그들과 함께 있으면 항상 웃을 일이 생겨.Whenever I'm with them, there's always something to laugh about.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are watching a funny movie.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이 영화 정말 웃기다!i yeonghwa jeongmal utgida!This movie is really funny!
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요, 너무 웃다 보니 배가 아파요.majayo, neomu utda boni baega apayo.Right, my stomach hurts from laughing so much.
- 도현 Do-hyeon수빈 씨가 웃다 보니 저도 더 웃겨요.subin ssiga utda boni jeodo deo utgyeoyo.Seeing you laugh makes it even funnier for me.
- 수빈 Su-bin우리 계속 웃다 끝낼 것 같아요.uri gyesok utda kkeutnael geot gatayo.I think we will just laugh until the end.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “laugh” translations and entries 웃다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 웃다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
