Korean word

순간

Pronunciation

Romanizationsungan

Meaning

  • nounmoment

Example

사진을 찍는 순간에 눈을 감았어요.sa ji neul jjing neun sun ga ne nu neul ka ma sseo yo

I closed my eyes at the moment I took the picture.

Illustration for 순간 (moment)

More examples

그 순간 나는 아무 말도 못했다.keu sun gan na neun a mu mal do mo taet tta

At that moment, I could not say anything.

Core concept

A tiny point in time, like the brief instant when something happens.

Common phrases

  • 순간을 놓치다sun ga neul no chi da

    miss the moment

  • 그 순간keu sun gan

    that moment

Similar words

찰나challa: A split second that ends almost as soon as it begins.
잠깐chamkkan: A short while, often long enough to pause or wait.

Definition in Korean

아주 짧은 시간의 한 때나 시점을 가리키는 명사로, 눈을 깜박하는 사이처럼 매우 짧은 시간을 이른다.a ju jjal beun si ga nui han ttae na si jeo meul ka ri ki neun myeong sa ro nu neul kkam ba ka neun sa i cheo reom mae u jjal beun si ga neul i reun da

Word origin

The word is a Sino-Korean borrowing built from parts meaning a blink and a span of time, which explains its very short time sense.

Usage tips

  • In Korean, this word often points to the exact time when a sudden event happens, making it useful for describing quick changes.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word