IU · Korean · 32 words

Singles 2014–2025

Six standalone singles from 2014 to 2025, from 소격동, a memory of a snowy old Seoul neighbourhood, to the summer farewell 바이, 썸머. In between come 삐삐, a warning to people who cross the line, the bittersweet 에잇 with SUGA, and the dreamlike strawberry moon. The vocabulary ranges from seasons and small daily joys to gossip, manners and letting go.

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
고드름	an icicle	지붕 끝에 고드름이 매달렸어요.Icicles hung from the edge of the roof.
소복이	in a soft heap, piled up thickly	밤새 눈이 소복이 내렸어요.Snow piled up softly overnight.
소소하다	to be small and everyday, to be modest	소소한 행복이 제일 좋아요.Small everyday joys are the best.
넉넉하다	to be plenty, to be comfortably enough	시간이 넉넉하니까 천천히 오세요.There's plenty of time, so come at your own pace.
뒤집히다	to be turned upside down, to be overturned	그 일 이후로 모든 게 뒤집혔어요.Everything was turned upside down after that.
내려앉다	to sink; of one's heart, to drop	그 소식에 가슴이 내려앉았어요.My heart dropped at the news.
불빛	a light, a glow	멀리서 마을 불빛이 보여요.You can see the lights of the village in the distance.
달래다	to soothe, to comfort someone	우는 아이를 한참 달랬어요.I comforted the crying child for a while.
영영	forever, for good	그 가게는 영영 문을 닫았어요.That shop closed for good.
주름	a wrinkle, a crease	셔츠에 주름이 많이 갔어요.The shirt has got very creased.
호들갑	a fuss, an overreaction	별일 아닌데 호들갑을 떨었어요.It was nothing but I made a fuss.
사양하다	to decline politely, to turn down	저는 술은 사양할게요.I'll pass on the drink, thank you.
침범	an intrusion, crossing into someone's space	사생활 침범은 곤란해요.Invading someone's privacy is not okay.
수군대다	to whisper about someone, to gossip in undertones	뒤에서 수군대는 소리가 들렸어요.I heard whispering behind my back.
교양	manners, cultivation	교양 있게 말씀하시는 분이에요.She speaks with real refinement.
해지다	to wear out, to fray from use	청바지 무릎이 다 해졌어요.The knees of my jeans are completely worn out.
모래성	a sandcastle; something that won't last	아이들이 바닷가에서 모래성을 쌓아요.The children are building sandcastles at the beach.
재난	a disaster, an emergency	재난 상황에는 침착해야 해요.You have to stay calm in an emergency.
고작	merely, no more than	고작 이틀 쉬었을 뿐이에요.I only had two days off, that's all.
따위	the likes of, such a thing (dismissive)	변명 따위는 듣고 싶지 않아요.I don't want to hear excuses or the like.
떠다니다	to drift about, to float around	물 위에 낙엽이 떠다녀요.Fallen leaves are drifting on the water.
발견하다	to discover, to find	산책하다가 예쁜 카페를 발견했어요.I discovered a pretty café while out on a walk.
거대하다	to be enormous, to be vast	거대한 건물이 눈앞에 서 있었어요.An enormous building stood in front of me.
맡기다	to entrust, to leave something with someone	가방을 잠깐 맡겨도 될까요?Could I leave my bag with you for a moment?
기꺼이	gladly, willingly	기꺼이 도와드릴게요.I'll gladly help you.
맞잡다	to hold hands with each other, to clasp together	두 손을 맞잡고 걸었어요.We walked holding each other's hands.
서늘하다	to be cool, to have a chill in the air	저녁이 되니 공기가 서늘해요.The air turns cool in the evening.
어느덧	before one realises it, by now	어느덧 일 년이 지났네요.A year has gone by before I realised it.
무렵	around the time of	해 질 무렵에 도착했어요.I arrived around sunset.
뒤돌아보다	to look back, to turn and look behind	가다가 한 번 뒤돌아봤어요.I turned and looked back once as I walked away.
얼룩	a stain, a mark	셔츠에 커피 얼룩이 생겼어요.A coffee stain got on my shirt.
머뭇거리다	to hesitate, to hang back	문 앞에서 잠시 머뭇거렸어요.I hesitated for a moment in front of the door.