Korean word

간신히

Pronunciation

Romanizationkansinhi

Meaning

  • adverbbarely

Example

그는 간신히 시험에 합격했다.keu neun kan sin hi si heo me hap kkyeo kaet tta

He barely passed the exam.

Illustration for 간신히 (barely)

More examples

마감 시간에 간신히 보고서를 제출했다.ma gam si ga ne kan sin hi po go seo reul che chul haet tta

I barely submitted the report by the deadline.

Core concept

A result is reached only after struggling through a difficult situation, with almost no room to spare.

Common phrases

  • 간신히 도착하다kan sin hi to cha ka da

    barely arrive

  • 간신히 견디다kan sin hi kyeon di da

    barely endure

  • 간신히 제출하다kan sin hi che chul ha da

    barely submit

Similar words

가까스로kakkaseuro: Reaching a goal after overcoming obstacles with almost no margin for failure.
거의keoui: Being very close to a state or amount, with only a small part still missing.
겨우kyeou: Completing something with barely enough time, strength, or resources.

Definition in Korean

어려운 상황에서 힘겹게 버텨 겨우 어떤 결과를 얻었음을 나타내는 부사.eo ryeo un sang hwang e seo him gyeop kke peo tyeo kyeo u eo tteon kyeol gwa reul eo deo sseu meul na ta nae neun pu sa

Word origin

It combines a Sino-Korean word for hardship with an adverb-forming ending, creating the sense of doing something only after great difficulty.

Usage tips

  • It highlights the effort behind a successful outcome, unlike a simple statement that something is almost complete, which focuses only on degree.

Other meanings

  • narrowlyadverb
  • with difficultyadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word