Korean word

중얼거리다

Pronunciation

Romanizationchungeolgeorida

Meaning

  • verbmutter

Example

동생이 혼자서 중얼거린다.tong saeng i hon ja seo chung eol geo rin da

The younger sibling mutters by themself.

Illustration for 중얼거리다 (mutter)

More examples

지하철에서 누군가 혼잣말로 중얼거리고 있었다.chi ha cheo re seo nu gun ga hon jan mal lo chung eol geo ri go i sseot tta

Someone was muttering to themselves on the subway.

Core concept

Quiet speech comes out in short, repeated bits as a person talks under their breath.

Common phrases

  • 혼잣말로 중얼거리다hon jan mal lo chung eol geo ri da

    mutter to oneself

  • 화가 나서 중얼거리다hwa ga na seo chung eol geo ri da

    mutter angrily

Similar words

중얼대다chungeoldaeda: Say short words softly, one phrase at a time.
웅얼거리다ungeolgeorida: Mumble in a muffled voice so the words are hard to understand.
투덜거리다tudeolgeorida: Complain quietly in a way that shows annoyance.
혼잣말하다honjanmalhada: Talk aloud to oneself without addressing another person.

Definition in Korean

혼잣말처럼 낮은 소리로 자꾸 중얼거리는 행동을 나타내는 동사.hon jan mal cheo reom na jeun so ri ro cha kku chung eol geo ri neun haeng dong eul na ta nae neun tong sa

Word origin

The verb is built from 중얼 (jungeol, "a muttering sound") and the repetitive-action suffix 거리다 (georida, "to keep doing").

Usage tips

  • English learners can associate this word with an observer's description of someone's behavior, where the choice of word may carry a small hint of disapproval.

Other meanings

  • talk to oneselfverb

Opposites

  • 큰소리로 말하다keunsoriro malhadaspeak loudlyverb

Related words

  • 중얼거림chungeolgeorimmutteringnoun

Word lists with this word