Nuance Dictionary / Emotions & Feelings
안달나다 An-dal-na-da
The jittery, restless agony of waiting for a result or delivery that is agonizingly overdue.
What does 안달나다 mean?
안달나다 (An-dal-na-da) means: The jittery, restless agony of waiting for a result or delivery that is agonizingly overdue.
This isn't just impatience; it’s the physical manifestation of helplessness while you refresh a tracking page or check your phone for a reply. Natives use this when their brain is 'stuck' on a future outcome, creating an internal itch they can’t scratch. Learners often mistake this for general irritability, but '안달나다' specifically signals that your composure has been hijacked by a specific, pending expectation.
Other sides of 안달나다
◆ The 'Desperate Pursuit' (Romance/Fandom) — When you use '안달나다' in a romantic context, you are admitting that you have lost the upper hand; you are the one chasing, and your composure is visibly crumbling. It signals a state of 'thirst' where you are so desperate for a response or a result that you stop acting cool and start acting needy. Learners often mistake this for simple excitement, but a native knows it carries a note of self-deprecating embarrassment—it’s the feeling of checking your phone every thirty seconds because you’re losing your mind.
◆ The 'Self-Induced Pressure' (Work/Study) — When natives use '안달나다' in a work or study context, it isn't about being busy; it's about the loss of composure caused by social comparison. It signals a shift from productive focus to a frantic, self-sabotaging state where you feel like you're losing a game that nobody else is actually playing. Learners often mistake this for simple 'stress,' but it specifically carries the heat of envy and the fear of being left behind in the rat race.
◆ The 'Self-Induced Pressure' (Work/Study) — When natives use '안달나다' in a work or study context, it isn't about being busy; it's about the loss of composure caused by social comparison. It signals a shift from productive focus to a frantic, self-sabotaging state where you feel like you're losing a game that nobody else is actually playing. Learners often mistake this for simple 'stress,' but it specifically carries the heat of envy and the fear of being left behind in the rat race.
🎙️ 안달나다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [안달라다]로 소리나요 (유음화). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 택배 언제 와? 진짜 안달나 죽겠네.
Taek-bae eon-je wa? Jin-jja an-dal-na juk-get-ne.
When is the package getting here? I'm dying of impatience.
💡 Shows how the term is used to express the hyperbolic, physical discomfort of waiting for a delivery. - 결과 발표 날만 기다리느라 안달나서 아무것도 못 하겠어.
Gyeol-gwa bal-pyo nal-man gi-da-ri-neu-ra an-dal-na-seo a-mu-geot-do mot ha-ge-sseo.
I'm so anxious waiting for the results day that I can't do anything else.
💡 Highlights how the word describes a state of total distraction caused by a pending life event. - 너무 안달내지 마. 어차피 기다리는 수밖에 없잖아.
Neo-mu an-dal-nae-ji ma. Eo-cha-pi gi-da-ri-neun su-bak-e eop-ja-na.
Don't get so worked up/impatient. There's nothing to do but wait anyway.
💡 Demonstrates the common usage of advising someone to calm down when they are becoming visibly restless.
Related words in Emotions & Feelings
안쓰럽다 ansseureopda아쉬움 aswium배가 아프다 baega apeuda에이 Ei어머나 Eomeona