Korean word

졸다

Pronunciation

Romanizationcholda

Meaning

  • verbnod off

Example

버스에서 졸았어요.peo seu e seo cho ra sseo yo

I dozed on the bus.

Illustration for 졸다 (nod off)

More examples

영화 보다가 졸았어요.yeong hwa po da ga cho ra sseo yo

I nodded off while watching a movie.

Core concept

The body stays in place while the mind briefly slips toward sleep.

Common phrases

  • 운전 중에 졸다un jeon chung e chol da

    nod off while driving

  • 회의 중에 졸다hoe ui chung e chol da

    nod off during a meeting

  • 영화관에서 졸다yeong hwa gwa ne seo chol da

    nod off at the movie theater

Similar words

자다chada: A person sleeps to rest, for a short nap or a full night.
잠들다chamdeulda: A person enters sleep as wakefulness fades.
눈을 붙이다nuneul puchida: A person gets a short rest by closing the eyes.

Definition in Korean

자리에서 눈을 감고 의식이 완전히 끊기지 않은 채 짧게 잠드는 동사.cha ri e seo nu neul kam go ui si gi wan jeon hi kkeun ki ji a neun chae jjal kke cham deu neun tong sa

Word origin

As a native Korean word, it developed within a word family connected with drowsiness and sleepiness, which makes its short-doze meaning easier to remember.

Usage tips

  • The word fits small everyday moments of lost alertness, such as a head bobbing during a bus ride, rather than a planned rest period.

Other meanings

  • napverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 졸리다chollidasleepyadjective
  • 졸음사고choreumsagodrowsiness-related accidentnoun

Word lists with this word