내 사랑
nae sarang
The English phrase 'meri jaan' can be translated into Korean as 내 사랑 (nae sarang).
내 사랑 is a term of endearment used to address someone you love deeply. It is used in a way similar to calling someone 'my life' or 'my love'.
How do you pronounce it?
nae sarang
Did you know?
- The syllable 내 is so common in Korean that the native word for 'smoke' was eventually abandoned and replaced by a Chinese-derived word to avoid confusion.
- The component 내 can also function as a suffix meaning 'through' or 'throughout'.
- The syllable 내 is highly polysemous, meaning it can be a reading for many different Chinese characters depending on the context.
Examples in context
- 내 사랑, 보고 싶어.nae sarang, bogo sipeo.My love, I miss you.
- 내 사랑에게 이 선물을 줄게.nae sarang-ege i seonmul-eul julge.I will give this gift to my love.
Example conversation
A couple is greeting each other after work.
- 지은 Ji-eun왔어? 보고 싶었어, 내 사랑.wasseo? bogo sipeosseo, nae sarang.You're here? I missed you, my love.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo나도 많이 보고 싶었어, 지은아.nado mani bogo sipeosseo, jieuna.I missed you a lot too, Jieun.
- 지은 Ji-eun오늘 많이 힘들었지?oneul mani himdeureotji?It was a hard day today, wasn't it?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo응, 하지만 너를 보니 다 풀려.eung, hajiman neoreul boni da pulryeo.Yes, but seeing you makes it all better.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내, CC BY-SA 4.0.
