Nuance Dictionary / Work & Effort
참다 cham-da
To bear, suppress, hold back, or tolerate (pain, anger, tears)
What does 참다 mean?
참다 (cham-da) means: To bear, suppress, hold back, or tolerate (pain, anger, tears).
Very similar to '버티다', but more internal. You '참다' the urge to punch a rude customer. You '참다' the physical pain of a tattoo. You '참다' your tears at a sad movie.
Other sides of 참다
◆ physical pain — When textbooks gloss *cham-da* as simply 'to endure,' they miss the raw physical reality of how Koreans deploy it in the exam room, the dentist's chair, or after a brutal football tackle. This isn't abstract emotional patience; it's the physical grit required to maintain *chemyeon* (face) or *nunchi* in front of others by not wincing, groaning, or crying out. If you gasp too loudly during a tattoo or a deep-tissue massage, an older *hyung* or *unni* will instantly tease you with a half-mocking '조금만 참아봐' (just hold on a little bit)—reminding you that bodily suffering is meant to be swallowed quietly, not broadcasted to the room.
◆ temptation and impulse — When a native reaches for 참다 in this context, they aren't just 'patient'—they are actively wrestling an internal demon, usually tied to public self-control and 체면 (face). In a culture where food and shopping are major social currencies, admitting you 'can't 참다' is practically a national sport, often muttered while staring at a midnight delivery app. Learners usually treat it like 'to endure' in all contexts, missing that here it carries a heavy subtext of dieting guilt, consumerist restraint, and the sweet relief of finally giving in.
◆ temptation and impulse — When a native reaches for 참다 in this context, they aren't just 'patient'—they are actively wrestling an internal demon, usually tied to public self-control and 체면 (face). In a culture where food and shopping are major social currencies, admitting you 'can't 참다' is practically a national sport, often muttered while staring at a midnight delivery app. Learners usually treat it like 'to endure' in all contexts, missing that here it carries a heavy subtext of dieting guilt, consumerist restraint, and the sweet relief of finally giving in.
How it's actually used
- 화가 났지만 부장님 앞이라서 참았다.
hwaga natjiman bujangnim apiraseo chamatda.
I was angry, but I held it in because it was in front of my boss.
💡 Used for suppressing emotions like anger or laughter. - 너무 아파서 눈물이 나는 걸 간신히 참았다.
neomu apaseo nunmuri naneun geol gansinhi chamatda.
It hurt so much that I barely held back my tears.
💡 Used for enduring physical pain or emotional urges. - 너무 웃겨서 웃음을 참느라 혼났어.
Neomu utgyeoseo useumeum chamneura honasseo.
It was so funny that I had a hard time holding back my laughter.
💡 Use '참다' when suppressing an urge or physiological reaction like laughter or tears.