Korean word

몰라보다

Pronunciation

Romanizationmollaboda

Meaning

  • verbnot recognize

Example

나는 길에서 옛 친구를 몰라봤다.na neun ki re seo yet chin gu reul mol la bwat tta

I didn't recognize my old friend on the street.

Illustration for 몰라보다 (not recognize)

More examples

옛 사진을 보고 사진 속 사람을 몰라봤다.yet sa ji neul po go sa jin sok sa ra meul mol la bwat tta

When I looked at an old photo, I didn't recognize the person in it.

Core concept

Looking at someone or something familiar without realizing who or what it is.

Common phrases

  • 사진 속 사람을 몰라보다sa jin sok sa ra meul mol la bo da

    fail to recognize the person in the photo

  • 동창 얼굴을 몰라보다tong chang eol gu reul mol la bo da

    fail to recognize a classmate's face

Similar words

못 알아보다mot araboda: Be unable to recognize a person or thing even when it is clearly visible.
알아보다araboda: Identify who a person is or what an object is by sight.
모르다moreuda: Lack knowledge of a fact or fail to understand what something means.

Definition in Korean

보거나 마주쳐도 이전에 알던 사람이나 물건임을 인식하지 못하는 뜻의 동사.po geo na ma ju cheo do i jeo ne al deon sa ra mi na mul geo ni meul in si ka ji mo ta neun tteu sui tong sa

Word origin

The meaning comes from joining 몰라 (molra, "not know") with 보다 (boda, "see"), or literally seeing while not knowing the identity.

Usage tips

  • The verb helps separate a changed appearance or a long passage of time from genuinely never having known the person or thing.

Other meanings

  • fail to recognizeverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word