Korean word

무심코

Pronunciation

Romanizationmusimko

Meaning

  • adverbwithout thinking

Example

그녀는 무심코 창문을 열었다.keu nyeo neun mu sim ko chang mu neul yeo reot tta

She opened the window without thinking.

Illustration for 무심코 (without thinking)

More examples

길에서 친구를 보고도 무심코 지나쳤다.ki re seo chin gu reul po go do mu sim ko chi na cheot tta

I saw my friend on the street, but I passed by without thinking.

Core concept

Something slips out naturally because the person is not focusing on it or intending it.

Common phrases

  • 무심코 내뱉다mu sim ko nae baet tta

    say without thinking

  • 무심코 눈길을 주다mu sim ko nun gi reul chu da

    look at without thinking

  • 무심코 지나치다mu sim ko chi na chi da

    pass by without thinking

Similar words

무심결에musimgyeore: Acting or speaking absent-mindedly while attention is elsewhere.
무의식적으로muuisikjjeogeuro: A movement or spoken response occurs without conscious awareness.
아무 생각 없이amu saenggak eopssi: An action is carried out without stopping to think about it.

Definition in Korean

주의나 의도 없이 자연스럽게 행동하거나 말하는 모습을 나타내는 부사.chu ui na ui do eop ssi cha yeon seu reop kke haeng dong ha geo na mal ha neun mo seu beul na ta nae neun pu sa

Word origin

It developed from the Sino-Korean idea of an absent or undirected mind, combined with -ko to form an adverb describing how an action occurs.

Usage tips

  • The word focuses on the lack of attention at the moment, so it can describe an action even when nothing goes wrong as a result.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word