인사하다
insahada[insʰa̠ɦa̠da̠]
To say hello in Korean is 인사하다 (insahada).
The phrase 인사하다 is used to describe the act of greeting someone. This includes both the verbal greeting and the physical act of bowing. To describe the act of two people exchanging greetings with each other, you can use the phrase 인사를 나누다.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb 인사하다 is composed of the noun 인사, which means 'greeting' or 'bow'.
How do you pronounce it?
insahada
When do people say it?
In Korean culture, 인사하다 encompasses both the verbal greeting and the physical act of bowing.
Did you know?
- The word 인사 can also refer to 'personnel' or 'human resources' in a corporate context. This means the same word used to 'say hello' is also used to discuss hiring and promotions.
- The word for greeting, 인사, literally contains the characters for 'person' and 'affair' or 'matter'. It suggests that a greeting is a way of acknowledging the social duties or matters involving another person.
- In modern Korea, people may 인사하다 by using a 'heart' gesture with their fingers or hands. This visual greeting often accompanies the verbal greeting in casual or idol-fan interactions.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 인사하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
