Korean word

헐

Pronunciation

Romanizationheol

Meaning

  • interjectionno way

Example

헐, 진짜?heol chin jja

No way, really?

Illustration for 헐 (no way)

More examples

친구가 로또에 당첨됐다니, 헐 대박!chin gu ga ro tto e tang cheom dwaet tta ni heol tae bak

My friend won the lottery? No way, that's amazing!

Core concept

A quick reaction that mixes surprise with doubt or mild disbelief.

Common phrases

  • 헐 진짜heol chin jja

    no way, really

  • 헐 대박heol tae bak

    no way, awesome

Similar words

헉heok: A sudden gasp that escapes when strong surprise leaves little time for words.
대박taebak: An enthusiastic exclamation praising something far better or more impressive than expected.
와wa: A brief exclamation of surprise at something sudden or unexpected.

Definition in Korean

놀라거나 믿기지 않을 때 짧게 내는 감탄사.nol la geo na mit kki ji a neul ttae jjal kke nae neun kam tan sa

Word origin

The word has no firmly established etymology and is best learned as a short spoken exclamation that spread through informal conversation.

Usage tips

  • Its meaning changes with tone, so it can sound amazed, doubtful, or mildly disapproving rather than simply confused.

Other meanings

  • huhinterjection
  • seriouslyinterjection

Word lists with this word