English–Korean
“cannot bring oneself to” in Korean
Korean
Pronunciation
Romanizationchama
Example
기자들은 그 질문에 차마 답하지 못했다.ki ja deu reun keu chil mu ne cha ma ta pa ji mo taet tta
The reporters could not bring themselves to answer that question.
How to say “cannot bring oneself to” in Korean
“Cannot bring oneself to” in Korean is 차마 (chama).
Shame or sympathy weighs on the heart so heavily that carrying out an action feels impossible.
Example sentences with 차마
그 소식을 듣고도 그는 차마 입을 떼지 못했다.keu so si geul teut kko do keu neun cha ma i beul tte ji mo taet tta
Even after hearing the news, he could not bring himself to speak.
Tips for using 차마
- It is especially common in written or formal Korean and usually appears in a negative clause, where it shows emotional restraint rather than ordinary inability.