Nuance Dictionary / Sounds & Sensations

허둥지둥 heo-dung-ji-dung

The frantic, stumbling physical scramble of waking up late and bolting out the door.

What does 허둥지둥 mean?

허둥지둥 (heo-dung-ji-dung) means: The frantic, stumbling physical scramble of waking up late and bolting out the door.

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How it's actually used

  • 늦잠 자서 허둥지둥 나오느라 지갑도 안 가져왔어.
    neut-jam ja-seo heo-dung-ji-dung na-o-neura ji-gap-do an gajyeo-wasseo.
    I overslept and rushed out the door in such a frantic mess that I forgot my wallet.
    💡 Reveals how the panic of oversleeping inevitably leads to forgetting essential items.
  • 아침마다 허둥지둥 출근하는 거 이제 진짜 지친다.
    a-chim-ma-da heo-dung-ji-dung chul-geun-ha-neun geo i-je jinjja ji-chin-da.
    I am so sick of rushing out the door in a panic every single morning.
    💡 Captures the chronic, soul-crushing fatigue of the daily morning scramble.
  • 거울 볼 시간도 없이 허둥지둥 뛰어갔지 뭐.
    geoul bol si-gan-do eop-si heo-dung-ji-dung ttwieo-gat-ji mwo.
    I didn't even have time to look in the mirror, I just bolted out like a madman.
    💡 Shows the self-deprecating humor natives use when recounting their chaotic mornings.

Related words in Sounds & Sensations

훌훌 hul-hul지글지글 ji-geul-ji-geul쫄깃쫄깃 jjol-git-jjol-git조마조마 jo-ma-jo-ma몽글몽글 mong-geul-mong-geul

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