Korean word

혹시

Pronunciation

Romanizationhokssi

Meaning

  • adverbby any chance

Example

혹시 시간 있어요?hok ssi si gan i sseo yo

Do you happen to have time?

Illustration for 혹시 (by any chance)

More examples

서류를 혹시 집에 두고 오셨나요?seo ryu reul hok ssi chi be tu go o syeon na yo

Did you happen to leave the documents at home?

Core concept

A gentle way to leave room for a possibility before asking something.

Common phrases

  • 혹시 시간hok ssi si gan

    have time, by any chance

  • 혹시 자리hok ssi cha ri

    have a seat available, by any chance

  • 혹시 연락처hok ssi yeol lak cheo

    have the contact details, by any chance

Similar words

아마ama: An adverb for saying that something is likely but not certain.
어쩌면eojjeomyeon: A light way to suggest that something may happen without deciding that it will.
혹시나hokssina: A cautious way to mention a possibility as a precaution.

Definition in Korean

상대에게 부담을 주지 않으면서 어떤 일이 일어날지 모른다는 가능성을 나타내는 부사.sang dae e ge pu da meul chu ji a neu myeon seo eo tteon i ri i reo nal ji mo reun da neun ka neung seong eul na ta nae neun pu sa

Word origin

The word is traditionally explained as a Sino-Korean formation meaning roughly "perhaps so", which developed into an adverb for presenting an uncertain possibility.

Usage tips

  • Placed before a question, 혹시 (hokssi, "by any chance") makes the question sound less pushy, especially with someone unfamiliar or older.

Opposites

Related words

  • 혹시나hokssinaif by any chanceadverb
  • 혹시라도hokssiradoeven if by any chanceadverb

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