Korean Conversation · Level 291
15 words
Korean word
울컥하다
Pronunciation
Romanizationulkeokada
Meaning
- verbbe overcome with emotion
Example
그 얘길 들으니 울컥했어요.keu yae gil teu reu ni ul keo kae sseo yo
Hearing that, I was overcome with emotion.
More examples
생선 냄새에 갑자기 속이 울컥했어요.saeng seon naem sae e kap jja gi so gi ul keo kae sseo yo
The smell of fish suddenly made me feel nauseated.
Core concept
A strong feeling suddenly catches in the throat and produces an immediate reaction.
Common phrases
가슴이 울컥하다ka seu mi ul keo ka da
feel a surge of emotion in one's chest
목이 울컥하다mo gi ul keo ka da
feel emotion catch in one's throat
Similar words
울다ulda: Cry to show sadness, joy, pain, or other feelings through tears or sound.
북받치다pukppatchida: Feel a powerful emotion well up all at once and become hard to control.
울먹이다ulmeogida: Speak in a trembling voice while close to tears.
울음이 터지다ureumi teojida: Start crying suddenly as held-back tears or sobs finally burst out.
Definition in Korean
순간적으로 감정이나 신체반응이 치밀어 올라 말이 막히거나 눈물이 나는 등 즉각적인 반응을 나타내는 동사sun gan jeo geu ro kam jeong i na sin che ba neung i chi mi reo ol la ma ri ma ki geo na nun mu ri na neun teung cheuk kkak jjeo gin pa neung eul na ta nae neun tong sa
Word origin
울컥 (ulkeo, "sudden emotional surge") is a mimetic expression for emotion rising suddenly, and adding 하다 (kada, "to do") makes it a verb describing that reaction.
Usage tips
- In conversation, the word highlights how quickly an emotional reaction arrives, not how long the feeling lasts.
Other meanings
- chokeverb
Opposites
- 차분해지다chabunhaejidacalm downverb
Related words
- 울컥거리다ulkeokkkeoridachoke upverb
- 울컥거림ulkeokkkeorima surge of emotionnoun