Korean word

재수

Pronunciation

Romanizationchaesu

Meaning

  • nounluck

Example

오늘은 재수가 좋아서 일이 잘 풀렸다.o neu reun chae su ga cho a seo i ri chal pul lyeot tta

I was lucky today, so things worked out well.

Illustration for 재수 (luck)

More examples

그는 시험에서 재수가 없었다.keu neun si heo me seo chae su ga eop sseot tta

He had bad luck on the exam.

Core concept

Luck appears as a changing current in events that can help or hinder their outcome.

Common phrases

  • 재수가 좋다chae su ga cho ta

    have good luck

  • 재수가 없다chae su ga eop tta

    have no luck

  • 재수가 나쁘다chae su ga na ppeu da

    have bad luck

Similar words

운un: Unpredictable fortune that affects how things turn out for a person.
행운haengun: Unexpected good fortune that brings a happy result.
불운purun: Unexpected bad fortune that brings an unhappy result.

Definition in Korean

우연히 일이 잘되거나 잘되지 않는 운이나 기운을 이르는 말로, 일상에서는 '재수가 좋다/나쁘다' 같은 표현으로 쓰이며 입시에서는 '재수생'을 줄여 이르는 말로도 쓰인다.u yeon hi i ri chal doe geo na chal doe ji an neun u ni na ki u neul i reu neun mal lo il sang e seo neun chae su ga cho ta na ppeu da ka teun pyo hyeo neu ro sseu i myeo ip ssi e seo neun chae su saeng eul chu ryeo i reu neun mal lo do sseu in da

Word origin

Its everyday luck sense is an established Korean expression with an uncertain origin, and its admissions sense developed as a shortened form of the term for a repeat entrance-exam candidate.

Usage tips

  • The surrounding topic provides the main clue: conversations about events use this word for luck, but school and admissions conversations use it for a repeat attempt at the entrance exam.

Other meanings

  • retaking an examnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 재수생chaesusaengstudent retaking the entrance examnoun
  • 재수학원chaesuhagwonacademy for entrance-exam retakersnoun
  • 재수하다chaesuhadaretake the entrance examverb

Word lists with this word