Nuance Dictionary / Sounds & Sensations
으으으 eu-eu-eu
The visceral written sound of swallowing a scream or a sigh when dealing with a maddening, immovable obstacle.
What does 으으으 mean?
으으으 (eu-eu-eu) means: The visceral written sound of swallowing a scream or a sigh when dealing with a maddening, immovable obstacle.
This expression does not appear in standard reference materials as a lexical entry, operating instead as a typed onomatopoeic representation of a physical reaction. Writers use it in informal text messages, comments, and webtoons to mimic the sound of inhaling sharply or groaning through teeth when dealing with a frustrating obstacle. It typically stands alone or precedes a complaint about a difficult situation.
In digital communication, stretching the vowels or repeating the syllable can read as an audible sigh of exasperation, conveying the physical weight of holding back an outright scream.
In digital communication, stretching the vowels or repeating the syllable can read as an audible sigh of exasperation, conveying the physical weight of holding back an outright scream.
Other sides of 으으으
◆ Shivering Cold and Dread — This expression does not appear in standard reference materials. In casual online text and messaging, writers use it to visually mimic the sound or physical sensation of shivering from intense cold or a sudden fright. It typically appears as a repeated vowel-consonant sequence meant to stretch out the feeling of a shudder across the screen.
Readers often interpret this in text messages or webtoons as an exaggerated, dramatic shiver or a visual stutter of fear, making the moment feel more visceral and immediate.
Readers often interpret this in text messages or webtoons as an exaggerated, dramatic shiver or a visual stutter of fear, making the moment feel more visceral and immediate.
How it's actually used
- 으으으, 진짜 또 시작이네.
eu-eu-eu, jin-jja tto si-jag-i-ne.
Ugh, seriously, it's starting again.
💡 Exclaiming frustration upon encountering a familiar annoyance. - 비밀번호 또 틀렸어. 으으으...
bi-mil-beon-ho tto teul-lyeoss-eo. eu-eu-eu...
I got the password wrong again. Ugh...
💡 Voicing annoyance after a minor failure. - 으으으, 이걸 언제 다 끝내냐.
eu-eu-eu, i-geol eon-je da kkeun-nae-nya.
Ugh, when am I ever going to finish all of this.
💡 Groaning under the weight of excessive work.
Related words in Sounds & Sensations
가물가물 ga-mul-ga-mul간질간질 gan-jil-gan-jil글썽글썽 geulsseong-geulsseong허둥지둥 heo-dung-ji-dung허우적 heo-u-jeok