Korean word

서늘하다

Pronunciation

Romanizationseoneulhada

Meaning

  • adjectivechilly

Example

오늘 아침은 서늘해서 얇은 겉옷이 필요해.o neul a chi meun seo neul hae seo yal beun keo to si pi ryo hae

This morning was chilly, so a light jacket was needed.

Illustration for 서늘하다 (chilly)

More examples

밤바람이 불자 호수 주변이 서늘해서 사람들은 옷깃을 여몄다.pam ba ra mi pul ja ho su chu byeo ni seo neul hae seo sa ram deu reun ot kki seul yeo myeot tta

As the night wind blew, the area around the lake became chilly, so people pulled their collars closed.

Core concept

A light, sharp coolness that can make the air or mood feel faintly unsettling.

Common phrases

  • 서늘한 바람seo neul han pa ram

    cool wind

  • 서늘한 아침 공기seo neul han a chim kong gi

    cool morning air

Similar words

춥다chuptta: Experiencing low temperatures that make warmth feel necessary.
쌀쌀하다ssalssalhada: Having cool outdoor air that makes the skin feel slightly cold.
선선하다seonseonhada: Having gentle, comfortable coolness from mild weather or a breeze.
시원하다siwonhada: Feeling pleasantly cool and refreshed after heat or dampness has cleared.

Definition in Korean

추위가 심하지는 않으나 분위기나 기분 때문에 약간 쌀쌀하거나 소름 끼치는 느낌을 나타내는 형용사.chu wi ga sim ha ji neun a neu na pu nwi gi na ki bun ttae mu ne yak kkan ssal ssal ha geo na so reum kki chi neun neu kki meul na ta nae neun hyeong yong sa

Word origin

서늘 (seoneul, "mild chill") combines with 하다 (hada, "to have or be characterized by") to create an adjective describing a mild cold feeling that can extend to an uneasy mood.

Usage tips

  • In TOPIK passages, clues about morning air, a room, or an atmosphere can show whether the word describes physical coolness or an unsettling feeling.

Other meanings

  • cooladjective
  • eerieadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 서늘해지다seoneulhaejidaturn chillyverb
  • 서늘함seoneulhamcoolnessnoun

Word lists with this word