Korean word

외로움

Pronunciation

Romanizationoeroum

Meaning

  • nounloneliness

Example

가끔은 외로움을 느낄 때가 있어요.ka kkeu meun oe ro u meul neu kkil ttae ga i sseo yo

Sometimes I feel lonely.

Illustration for 외로움 (loneliness)

More examples

혼자 있으면 외로움을 더 크게 느껴요.hon ja i sseu myeon oe ro u meul teo keu ge neu kkyeo yo

When I am by myself, I feel even lonelier.

Core concept

A feeling of being emotionally alone or cut off, even when other people are nearby.

Common phrases

  • 외로움을 느끼다oe ro u meul neu kki da

    experience loneliness

  • 외로움을 달래다oe ro u meul tal lae da

    soothe loneliness

  • 외로움을 참다oe ro u meul cham tta

    bear loneliness

Similar words

그리움keurium: A tender longing for a loved person, familiar place, or earlier time that feels far away.
허전함heojeonham: An unsettled feeling that something important is missing from life.
쓸쓸함sseulsseulham: A lonely feeling that arises in a calm, silent, and empty setting.

Definition in Korean

혼자 있거나 주변에 사람이 있어도 마음속에서 쓸쓸함이나 고립감을 느끼는 심리적 상태.hon ja it kkeo na chu byeo ne sa ra mi i sseo do ma eum so ge seo sseul sseul ha mi na ko rip kka meul neu kki neun sim ni jeok sang tae

Word origin

The noun is formed from the Korean adjective meaning lonely with a nominalizing suffix, turning a quality into the feeling or state itself.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often separate being alone from feeling lonely, and this word helps express the second idea in Korean conversations.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word