TOPIK · Level 184
15 words
Korean word
자꾸만
Pronunciation
Romanizationchakkuman
Meaning
- adverbrepeatedly
Example
문제는 자꾸만 반복된다.mun je neun cha kku man pan bok ttoen da
The problem keeps repeating.
More examples
밤마다 자꾸만 전화가 와서 잠을 못 잤다.pam ma da cha kku man cheon hwa ga wa seo cha meul mot chat tta
I couldn't sleep because I kept getting calls every night.
Core concept
An action keeps happening again and again, with its continued repetition made especially noticeable.
Common phrases
자꾸만 생각나다cha kku man saeng gang na da
keep coming to mind
자꾸만 연락하다cha kku man yeol la ka da
keep contacting
자꾸만 신경 쓰이다cha kku man sin gyeong sseu i da
keep bothering
Similar words
자꾸chakku: An action or situation keeps recurring, often in a bothersome way.
계속kyesok: An action or situation continues steadily without stopping.
자주chaju: An event occurs frequently across a period of time.
Definition in Korean
습관적이거나 반복되는 동작을 강조하여 계속된 상태를 나타내는 부사seup kkwan jeo gi geo na pan bok ttoe neun tong ja geul kang jo ha yeo kye sok ttoen sang tae reul na ta nae neun pu sa
Word origin
The form combines 자꾸 (jakku, "repeatedly") with 만 (man, "emphasis"), strengthening the sense of repetition that continues.
Usage tips
- Unlike a neutral report of repetition, this word can show that the speaker finds the repeated action noticeable, annoying, or surprising, though it can also describe welcome repetition.