Nuance Dictionary / Culture & Language
과찬 gwa-chan
Excessive praise — a term used to deflect compliments
What does 과찬 mean?
과찬 (gwa-chan) means: Excessive praise — a term used to deflect compliments.
A magical word attached immediately after receiving a compliment. By saying 'It is an overpraise', you can elegantly deflect and neutralize the other person's compliment.
🔊 From the story above
겸손 — Gyeom-son
감사합니다 — gamsahamnida, "thank you"
과찬 — Gwa-chan
아직 멀었어요 — ajik meol-eosseoyo, "I still have a long way to go"
멀었다 — meol-eot-da
덕분 — deok-bun, "thanks to / grace of"
부족하다 — Bujok-hada
손사래 — sonsarae, "waving the hand side to side in refusal"
Other sides of 과찬
◆ The Corporate Humility Shield — Textbooks teach 과찬 as a humble translation of 'overpraise,' but natives treat it as a mandatory reflex in hierarchical spaces. When a boss or client compliments your work, accepting it directly is social suicide; saying 과찬이십니다 immediately restores the delicate balance of power by acknowledging their higher status. It isn't necessarily about genuine modesty—it's the grease that keeps the corporate wheel turning smoothly without friction.
◆ Dramatic Mock-Humility — Textbooks teach this as a sincere way to accept compliments humbly, but among friends or online, its true power lies in sheer irony. Dropping a heavy, archaic term like 'overpraise' when someone says 'nice haircut' or 'you're good at this mobile game' instantly signals theatrical self-importance. It’s the linguistic equivalent of dusting off a velvet cape and bowing 90 degrees for a minor text message.
◆ Dramatic Mock-Humility — Textbooks teach this as a sincere way to accept compliments humbly, but among friends or online, its true power lies in sheer irony. Dropping a heavy, archaic term like 'overpraise' when someone says 'nice haircut' or 'you're good at this mobile game' instantly signals theatrical self-importance. It’s the linguistic equivalent of dusting off a velvet cape and bowing 90 degrees for a minor text message.
How it's actually used
- 과찬이십니다, 제가 아직 부족한 게 많아요.
gachanisimnida, jega ajik bujokan ge manayo.
That is too kind of you, I still have a lot to improve.
💡 Use this polite response right after receiving a compliment to remain humble. - 과찬이세요, 그냥 운이 좋았을 뿐이에요.
gachaniseyeo, geunyang uni joasseulppunieyo.
You're flattering me, I was just lucky.
💡 A slightly more casual way to deflect praise and credit luck instead. - 아이구, 과찬이십니다. 제가 한 게 뭐 있다고 그러세요.
Aigu, gwachanisimnida. Jega han ge mwo itdago geureoseyo.
Oh, that's way too much praise. I didn't really do anything special.
💡 A standard reflexive deflection to any form of praise.
Related words in Culture & Language
멀었다 meol-eot-da덕분 deok-bun들뜨다 deul-tteu-da기대되다 gi-dae-doe-da두근거리다 du-geun-geo-ri-da