향수
hyangsu[ça̠ŋsʰu]
Nostalgia in Korean is 향수 (hyangsu). Wiktionary also lists 노스탤지어 (noseutaeljieo).
Meaning: bittersweet yearning for the things of the past (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 향수 | hyangsu | [ça̠ŋsʰu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 노스탤지어 | noseutaeljieo |
The term refers to a bittersweet yearning for things from the past. A common way to describe being immersed in or overwhelmed by these feelings is through the idiom 향수에 젖다, which means to be steeped in nostalgia.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 향수 is polysemous. Depending on the context, it can mean either 'nostalgia' or 'perfume'.
Which one should you use?
노스탤지어 is used more frequently in academic, artistic or modern psychological contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
hyangsu
Did you know?
- The word 향수 is a homonym with two completely different origins. One version comes from the characters for 'fragrance' and 'water' to mean 'perfume', while the other comes from 'hometown' and 'grief' to mean 'nostalgia'.
- Korean has several words for longing, but 향수 is specifically reserved for the past or a distant home. For longing for a person, Koreans would use a different word, 그리움, which lacks the 'grief' component of 향수.
- The use of 향수 often appears in Korean poetry to signify the collective longing of a displaced people for their ancestral lands, moving the meaning from a personal feeling to a national sentiment.
Examples in context
- 그 병원에서의 시간은 제게 큰 향수를 불러일으켰어요.The time in that hospital brought me a lot of nostalgia.
- 그리움으로 가슴이 아프다.My heart aches with nostalgia.
- 어릴 때의 친구들을 많이 그리워해.I miss my childhood friends a lot.
- 고향에 대한 향수를 느낍니다.gohyang-e daehan hyangsu-reul neukkimmida.I feel nostalgia for my hometown.
- 그 노래는 향수를 불러일으켜요.geu norae-neun hyangsu-reul bulleo-ireukyeoyeo.That song evokes nostalgia.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Seoyeon are visiting a traditional village.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo여기 오니까 왠지 모를 향수가 느껴지네요.yeogi onikka wenji moreul hyangsu-ga neukkyeojineyo.Coming here, I feel a strange sense of nostalgia.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맞아요. 어릴 때 할머니 댁에 온 기분이에요.majayo. eoril ttae halmeoni daege on gibunieyo.True. It feels like I've come to my grandmother's house as a child.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그때 그 시절이 가끔 정말 그리워요.geuttae geu sijeori gakkeum jeongmal geuriwoyo.I really miss those days sometimes.
- 서연 Seo-yeon저도 그래요. 정말 평화로운 분위기네요.jeodo geuraeyo. jeongmal pyeonghwaroun bunwigineyo.Me too. The atmosphere is so peaceful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nostalgia” translations and entries 향수, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 향수, CC BY-SA 4.0.
