Korean Conversation · Level 293
15 words
Korean word
눈치보다
Pronunciation
Romanizationnunchiboda
Meaning
- verbread the room
Example
그 자리에서 눈치를 봤어요.keu cha ri e seo nun chi reul pwa sseo yo
I read the room at that gathering.
More examples
친구들이 불편해하길래 나는 바로 눈치봤어요.chin gu deu ri pul pyeon hae ha gil lae na neun pa ro nun chi bwa sseo yo
Because my friends seemed uncomfortable, I immediately read the room.
Core concept
A person pauses to check other people's reactions, then shapes their next move around what they notice.
Common phrases
식사 자리에서 눈치보다sik ssa cha ri e seo nun chi bo da
read the room at a meal
친구들 사이에서 눈치보다chin gu deul sa i e seo nun chi bo da
read the room among friends
Similar words
눈치채다nunchichaeda: Detects a hidden message or change from someone's words, face, or actions.
분위기를 살피다punwigireul salpida: Observes the mood of a place or group to see what is happening.
살피다salpida: Looks over a person, place, or thing carefully to check its condition.
Definition in Korean
다른 사람들의 반응을 살핀 뒤 그에 따라 행동을 결정하거나 멈추는 행위를 가리키는 동사.ta reun sa ram deu rui pa neung eul sal pin twi keu e tta ra haeng dong eul kyeol jeong ha geo na meom chu neun haeng wi reul ka ri ki neun tong sa
Word origin
눈치보다 (nunchiboda, "to watch others' reactions") is formed from 눈치 (nunchi, "a sense of others' feelings") and 보다 (boda, "to look or watch"), expressing careful attention to social cues.
Usage tips
- In conversation, the word can describe useful social awareness, but it can also suggest being too hesitant to state an opinion clearly.
Other meanings
- gauge the situationverb
- be mindful of othersverb
Opposites
- 무시하다musihadaignoreverb
Related words
- 눈치nunchisocial awarenessnoun
- 눈치껏nunchikkeotby reading the roomadverb