기쁨 gi-ppeum

Speakers use this noun to describe a very good and pleasant feeling, often when desires or important moments are fulfilled. It frequently combines with verbs of feeling, sharing, and overflowing, such as 넘치다, 느끼다, 나누다, and 감출 수 없다. It appears in contexts ranging from casual gatherings with close friends to significant life events like winning prizes, passing exams, or reuniting with loved ones.

can carry a sense of visible, outward expression, as speakers often describe it overflowing or being too great to hide.

◆ subtle contentment — Speakers use this to describe a settled, contented feeling when needs or expectations are met, rather than sudden bursts of excitement. It appears in contexts describing deep inner satisfaction, such as having eyes full of a quiet warmth, and combines with verbs denoting a lingering state or immersion, such as being soaked or filled. In everyday interaction, speakers use polite forms to express a quiet, uncontainable sense of satisfaction when describing things that bring happiness, such as looking at a beloved child.

This facet can feel reflective and deeply internalized, suggesting a quiet warmth that settles over a person rather than an outward display of cheer.

◆ artistic and literary — Speakers use this form in poetry, lyrics, and emotional prose to elevate happiness into a profound or overwhelming sentiment. It appears frequently in fixed descriptive structures like 기쁨이 넘치다 and 기쁨이 가득하다, as well as visceral states such as 기쁨에 젖다 and 기쁨에 겨워 덩실덩실 춤을 추다. It also pairs with emotional milestones like 재회의 기쁨 and 합격 소식을 듣고 탄 기쁨.

In literary and lyrical writing, this can lift a simple moment of happiness into something grand and lasting, often framing emotional fulfillment as an immersive, physical state rather than a passing mood.