Korean word

아아

Pronunciation

Romanizationaa

Meaning

  • interjectionah

Example

아아, 이제 알겠어요.a a i je al ge sseo yo

Ah, now I understand.

Illustration for 아아 (ah)

More examples

아아 정말요?a a cheong ma ryo

Ah, really?

Core concept

A short, mild reaction that lets a speaker respond without stating a full opinion.

Common phrases

  • 아아 알겠어요a a al ge sseo yo

    Ah, all right

  • 아아 그렇군요a a keu reo ku nyo

    Ah, I see

Similar words

네ne: A polite reply confirming agreement or that a message was understood.
응eung: A casual reply meaning yes or okay in everyday conversation.
어eo: A short informal reply showing mild agreement.
아하aha: A short exclamation showing sudden understanding when something becomes clear.

Definition in Korean

감정의 강도가 약하고 짧은 반응으로 쓰이는 감탄사로, 상황·어조에 따라 놀람·납득·동의 등 여러 뜻으로 읽힌다.kam jeong ui kang do ga ya ka go jjal beun pa neung eu ro sseu i neun kam tan sa ro sang hwang eo jo e tta ra nol lam nap tteuk tong ui teung yeo reo tteu seu ro il kin da

Word origin

No clear lexical root explains it, so it is treated as an expressive vocal form whose use became shaped by repeated conversational patterns.

Usage tips

  • The same form can sound surprised, understanding, or agreeable, so listening to the speaker's intonation is more useful than assigning it one fixed meaning.

Word lists with this word