Korean word

좀

Pronunciation

Romanizationchom

Meaning

  • adverba little

Example

이제 좀 도와줄래?i je chom to wa jul lae

Could you help me a little now?

Illustration for 좀 (a little)

More examples

날씨가 좀 추워졌어.nal ssi ga chom chu wo jeo sseo

The weather has gotten a little colder.

Core concept

A little space around a request that makes the speaker sound gentler and less demanding.

Common phrases

  • 좀 도와줘chom to wa jwo

    Please help me

  • 좀 기다려chom ki da ryeo

    please wait

Similar words

조금chogeum: A small amount that shows something is not much.
약간yakkkan: A slight degree that makes a feeling or condition seem mild.
잠깐chamkkan: A very short period during which an action takes place.
살짝saljjak: A light, brief action that is barely noticeable.

Definition in Korean

요청이나 부탁을 부드럽게 하거나 정중하게 보이게 하는 완화의 부사로, 명령형이나 부탁 앞에 자주 놓임.yo cheong i na pu ta geul pu deu reop kke ha geo na cheong jung ha ge po i ge ha neun wan hwa ui pu sa ro myeong nyeong hyeong i na pu tak a pe cha ju no im

Word origin

The native Korean word 좀 (jom, "a little") developed from showing a small amount to making requests sound less demanding.

Usage tips

  • 좀 (jom, "please") can make a request feel less abrupt, but a polite sentence ending still shows respect.

Other meanings

  • pleaseparticle

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word