싫어하다
sireohada[ɕʰiɾʌ̹ɦa̠da̠]
To hate in Korean is expressed as 싫어하다 (sireohada). Wiktionary also lists 미워하다 (miwohada).
Meaning: to dislike intensely (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 싫어하다 | sireohada | [ɕʰiɾʌ̹ɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 미워하다 | miwohada | [miwʌ̹ɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
싫어하다 is a transitive verb used to express a general dislike or hatred of things, people or situations. Because it is transitive, you must include an object to indicate what is being hated.
Which one should you use?
While 싫어하다 covers a broad range of dislikes, 미워하다 is used specifically when expressing feelings of resentment or hatred directed toward a person or a living being. For a much stronger connotation involving disgust or repulsion, the word 혐오하다 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense of 싫어하다 changes based on politeness: the polite form is 싫어해요 and the informal form is 싫어해.
How do you pronounce it?
sireohada
Did you know?
- The word 미워하다 is often used by couples or parents and children in a 'cute' or playful way to express a pouty kind of dislike, which is impossible with the harsher 혐오하다.
- When Koreans want to say they 'hate' something in a very strong, visceral way, they may use the word 극혐, a slang abbreviation of 극도로 혐오하다 meaning 'extreme disgust'.
- The verb 미워하다 is rooted in the adjective 밉다, which describes someone who is 'unlovable' or 'unpleasant' to look at, rather than just a feeling of malice.
Examples in context
- 저는 겨울을 싫어합니다.I hate winter.
- 저는 폭력을 혐오합니다.I hate violence.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hate” translations and entries 싫어하다, 미워하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
