TOPIK · Level 329
15 words
Korean word
혼잣말
Pronunciation
Romanizationhonjanmal
Meaning
- nountalking to oneself
Example
아이가 혼잣말을 하고 있다.a i ga hon jan ma reul ha go it tta
The child is talking to themselves.
More examples
버스를 기다리며 혼잣말을 하고 있었다.peo seu reul ki da ri myeo hon jan ma reul ha go i sseot tta
I was talking to myself while waiting for the bus.
Core concept
A person speaks aloud to express that person's thoughts or feelings while alone.
Common phrases
혼잣말을 하다hon jan ma reul ha da
talk to oneself
혼잣말을 중얼거리다hon jan ma reul chung eol geo ri da
mutter to oneself
혼잣말이 나오다hon jan ma ri na o da
talk to oneself aloud
Similar words
독백tokppaek: A one-person speech that sets out inner thoughts in words.
중얼거림chungeolgeorim: Quiet, unclear speech murmured while thinking or feeling something.
Definition in Korean
혼잣말은 혼자 있을 때 자신의 생각이나 감정을 소리로 표현하는 말이다.hon jan ma reun hon ja i sseul ttae cha si nui saeng ga gi na kam jeong eul so ri ro pyo hyeon ha neun ma ri da
Word origin
The word combines the Korean ideas of being alone and speech, creating a compact noun for words spoken by oneself.
Usage tips
- In everyday Korean, this behavior can be ordinary when it helps with planning or practice, although a loud voice may attract attention in public.