Korean word

잘못

Pronunciation

Romanizationchalmot

Meaning

  • nounmistake

Example

그건 잘못이에요.keu geon chal mo si e yo

That is a mistake.

Illustration for 잘못 (mistake)

More examples

이번 일은 네 잘못이 아니야.i beon i reun ne chal mo si a ni ya

This is not your mistake.

Core concept

An error in what someone does or decides that leads away from the intended result.

Common phrases

  • 잘못을 시인하다chal mo seul si in ha da

    admit a mistake

  • 잘못을 반성하다chal mo seul pan seong ha da

    reflect on a mistake

Similar words

실수silsu: Something said or done incorrectly by accident.
틀림teullim: An answer or fact that is not correct.

Definition in Korean

의도와 달리 잘못되어 바람직하지 않은 결과가 된 행동이나 판단의 오류.ui do wa tal li chal mot ttoe eo pa ram ji ka ji a neun kyeol gwa ga toen haeng dong i na pan da nui o ryu

Word origin

The noun 잘못 (jalmot, "error") comes from the combined forms 잘 (jal, "well") and 못 (mot, "cannot"), which together came to name something done or judged wrongly.

Usage tips

  • A useful contrast for English speakers is that Korean spacing can separate this idea from the expression for being unable to do something well.

Other meanings

  • faultnoun

Opposites

  • 옳음oreumcorrectnessnoun
  • 정확성cheonghwaksseongaccuracynoun

Related words

Word lists with this word