Korean word

뭣

Pronunciation

Romanizationmwot

Meaning

  • pronounwhat

Example

그게 뭣이야?keu ge mwo si ya

What is that?

Illustration for 뭣 (what)

More examples

이게 뭣인지 아직 모르겠어.i ge mwo sin ji a jik mo reu ge sseo

I still don't know what this is.

Core concept

A forceful what that shows surprise, disbelief, or irritation.

Common phrases

  • 뭣인지mwo sin ji

    what it is

  • 뭣 때문에mwot ttae mu ne

    because of what

Similar words

뭐mwo: An ordinary question word for finding out the identity of a thing or fact.
뭘mwol: A conversational "what" used for the thing someone wants to act on or choose.
뭔mwon: A colloquial shortened form referring to an unspecified thing, often within a phrase.

Definition in Korean

짧고 강하게 무엇을 물을 때 쓰이는 대명사로, 놀람이나 불만을 담아 쓰이는 경우가 많다.jjal kko kang ha ge mu eo seul mu reul ttae sseu i neun tae myeong sa ro nol la mi na pul ma neul ta ma sseu i neun kyeong u ga man ta

Word origin

The word developed as a colloquial shortening of the standard Korean word for what, becoming a compact form for emotionally charged questions.

Usage tips

  • In dialogue, tone matters greatly because this short form may signal surprise or annoyance rather than simple curiosity.

Related words

Word lists with this word