Korean word

한밤중

Pronunciation

Romanizationhanbamjung

Meaning

  • nounmidnight

Example

한밤중에 전화가 왔어요.han bam jung e cheon hwa ga wa sseo yo

A call came in at midnight.

Illustration for 한밤중 (midnight)

More examples

한밤중에 불이 켜져 있어서 놀랐어요.han bam jung e pu ri kyeo jeo i sseo seo nol la sseo yo

I was surprised to see the light on at midnight.

Core concept

The still center of the night, when it is very late and most people are asleep.

Common phrases

  • 한밤중에han bam jung e

    at midnight

  • 한밤중에 전화han bam jung e cheon hwa

    midnight phone call

  • 한밤중까지han bam jung kka ji

    until midnight

Similar words

자정chajeong: The exact time of 12:00 a.m., when one date ends and the next begins.
밤중pamjung: A somewhat formal term for a period in the middle of the night, not always an exact time.
한밤hanbam: A casual expression for the middle part of the night.

Definition in Korean

밤의 한가운데인 무척 늦은 시간pa mui han ga un de in mu cheok neu seun si gan

Word origin

한밤중 (hanbamjung, "midnight") combines 한밤 (hanbam, "deep night") with 중 (jung, "middle"), placing the time in the middle of the night.

Usage tips

  • An unexpected call or noise feels especially surprising with this word because it highlights how late the hour is.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word