Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations

겉돌다 geot-dol-da

To be physically present in a group or community yet fail to emotionally or socially mesh with the others.

What does 겉돌다 mean?

겉돌다 (geot-dol-da) means: To be physically present in a group or community yet fail to emotionally or socially mesh with the others.

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How it's actually used

  • 새로 들어간 부서에 아직 적응을 못 해서 온통 겉도는 느낌이다.
    sae-ro deur-e-gan bu-seo-e a-jik jeok-eung-eul mot hae-seo on-tong geot-do-neun neu-kkim-i-da.
    I still haven't adapted to my new department, so I feel completely out of place.
    💡 Captures the classic workplace scenario where you're physically in the team, but socially spinning in space.
  • 다들 대화가 무르익었는데 나 혼자만 대화에서 겉돌고 있었다.
    da-deul dae-hwa-ga mu-reu-ik-eot-neun-de na hon-ja-man dae-hwa-e-seo geot-dol-go is-seot-da.
    Everyone else was deep in conversation, but I alone was failing to mesh with it.
    💡 Highlights the micro-moment of missing the rhythm of a group chat and floating unattached.
  • 학원 무리에 끼고 싶었지만 계속 겉돌기만 하다가 결국 그만뒀다.
    hag-won mu-ri-e kki-go sip-eot-ji-man gye-sok geot-dol-gi-man ha-da-ga gyeol-guk geu-man-dwot-da.
    I wanted to fit into the academy clique, but after constantly feeling out of sync, I eventually quit.
    💡 Shows how prolonged social 겉돌다 inevitably leads to giving up and walking away.

Related words in Social Situations

그럽시다 geu-reop-si-da환승 hwan-seung입찰 ip-chal정신차려 jeong-sin-cha-ryeo직진 jik-jin

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