What does 기쁜 mean?
기쁜 (gi-ppeun) means: Glad / Joyful.
Usually paired with tears. '기쁜 눈물' (Tears of joy) is the ultimate emotional release after a long period of suffering or waiting.
Other sides of 기쁜
◆ subtle-satisfaction — Textbooks teach you that 기쁜 means 'happy,' which sets you up to sound like a cheerful robot at a children's birthday party. In real life, natives reach for 기쁜 (especially paired with nouns like 마음 or 하루) when the joy is private, mature, and deeply settled—like the quiet satisfaction of a productive day or a heart at peace. If you use it for getting a promotion or winning the lottery, it sounds underwhelming; save it for the moments when you exhale slowly and think, 'Today was good.'
◆ polite-gratitude — When you use '기쁜' in this context, you aren't just saying you're 'happy'—you are signaling that the interaction carries personal or professional significance. Natives reach for this in introductory emails or speeches to elevate the tone from standard pleasantries to something more respectful and gracious. Learners often misuse it by applying it to casual hangouts, which makes them sound like they are reading from a stiff, outdated etiquette manual; save this for when you need to bridge the gap between 'polite' and 'sincere.'
◆ polite-gratitude — When you use '기쁜' in this context, you aren't just saying you're 'happy'—you are signaling that the interaction carries personal or professional significance. Natives reach for this in introductory emails or speeches to elevate the tone from standard pleasantries to something more respectful and gracious. Learners often misuse it by applying it to casual hangouts, which makes them sound like they are reading from a stiff, outdated etiquette manual; save this for when you need to bridge the gap between 'polite' and 'sincere.'
How it's actually used
- 합격 소식을 듣고 기쁜 눈물을 흘렸다.
hapgyeok sosigeul deutgo gippeun nunmureul heullyeotta.
I shed tears of joy after hearing the acceptance news.
💡 Often paired with tears of joy (기쁜 눈물). - 오늘 이렇게 좋은 날에 기쁜 마음으로 축하해 주고 싶어.
oneul ireoke joheun nare gippeun maeumeuro chukhae jugo sipeo.
I want to congratulate you with a joyful heart on such a good day today.
💡 Used to express genuine happiness for someone. - 오랜 노력 끝에 합격 소식을 듣고 기쁜 눈물을 흘렸다.
oraen noryeok kkeute hapgyeok sosigeul deutgo gippeun nunmureul heullyeotda.
I shed tears of joy after hearing the acceptance news following a long effort.
💡 Used when describing an emotional release after struggle.
Related words in Colors & Adjectives
슬픈 seul-peun귀여운 gwi-yeo-un멋진 meot-jin아름다운 a-reum-da-un예쁜 ye-ppeun