Nuance Dictionary / Culture & Language
정(情) Jeong
The inescapable social obligation to feed people until they explode, where refusing a snack is treated as a personal rejection.
What does 정(情) mean?
정(情) (Jeong) means: The inescapable social obligation to feed people until they explode, where refusing a snack is treated as a personal rejection.
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How it's actually used
- 아니, 다이어트 중이라니까 자꾸 뭘 먹여. 이게 다 정이라서 거절도 못 하고.
Ani, daieoteu jungiranikka jakku mwol meogyeo. Ige da jeongiraseo geojeoldo mot hago.
Seriously, I'm on a diet and they keep feeding me stuff. Because it's all *jeong*, I can't even say no.
💡 Captures the classic helpless frustration of being trapped by someone else's food-based affection. - 하나만 먹으려고 했는데, 할머니가 정이라며 주머니에 계속 쑤셔 넣으셨어.
Hanamann meogeuryeogo haetneunde, halmoniga jeongiramyeo jumeonie gyesok ssusyeo neohusyeosseo.
I was only going to eat one, but Grandma said it was *jeong* and kept stuffing them into my pockets.
💡 Illustrates how *jeong* is physically forced onto you, crossing personal boundaries in the most endearing way possible. - 밥 한 번 먹자고? 그게 다 정을 나누는 거지 뭐.
Bap han beon meokjago? Geuge da jeongeul nanuneun geoji mwo.
Want to grab a meal together? That's just us sharing *jeong*, you know.
💡 Shows how every casual food invitation in Korea carries an underlying emotional investment.
Related words in Culture & Language
정성 jeong-seong직장인 jik-jang-in주휴수당 ju-hyu-su-dang칼퇴 kal-toe컴백 keom-baek