Nuance Dictionary / Culture & Language
정성 jeong-seong
The invisible emotional labor, careful planning, and devotion poured into a tangible offering, making its true value completely independent of its price tag.
What does 정성 mean?
정성 (jeong-seong) means: The invisible emotional labor, careful planning, and devotion poured into a tangible offering, making its true value completely independent of its price tag.
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How it's actually used
- 비싼 건 아니지만, 제 정성을 담았어요.
bi-ssan geon a-ni-ji-man, je jeong-seong-eul dam-at-seo-yo.
It's nothing expensive, but I poured my heart into it.
💡 The ultimate defensive phrase when giving a modest gift, instantly shifting the focus from monetary value to emotional labor. - 선물보다 그 사람의 정성이 고마워서 눈물이 났어.
seon-mul-bo-da geu sa-ram-ui jeong-seong-i go-ma-wo-seo nun-mul-i nat-seo.
I cried because I was so touched by their thoughtfulness, more than the gift itself.
💡 Shows how 정성 acts as the emotional currency that transforms a simple object into a deeply touching experience. - 엄마가 새벽부터 정성으로 끓여준 미역국.
eom-ma-ga sae-byeok-bu-teo jeong-seong-euro kkeu-ryeo-jun mi-yeok-guk.
The seaweed soup my mom spent hours lovingly brewing since dawn.
💡 Demonstrates how physical actions done early, slowly, or painstakingly are inherently described using 정성.
Related words in Culture & Language
직장인 jik-jang-in주휴수당 ju-hyu-su-dang칼퇴 kal-toe컴백 keom-baek손민수 son-min-su