Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations

정신을 차리다 jeongsineul charida

To snap out of a mental fog or emotional daze to re-engage with reality.

What does 정신을 차리다 mean?

정신을 차리다 (jeongsineul charida) means: To snap out of a mental fog or emotional daze to re-engage with reality.

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How it's actually used

  • 야, 정신 차려! 지금 수업 시간이잖아.
    Ya, jeongsin charyeo! Jigeum sueop siganja-na.
    Hey, snap out of it! It’s class time right now.
    💡 Used as an abrupt, informal wake-up call to someone drifting off during a task.
  • 어제 너무 많이 마셔서 이제야 정신을 좀 차렸어.
    Eoje neomu mani masyeoseo ijeya jeongsineul jom charieosseo.
    I drank way too much yesterday, so I’ve only just started to feel like a human again.
    💡 Shows the common usage of recovering physical and mental clarity after intoxication.
  • 실수하지 않으려면 지금부터라도 정신을 바짝 차려야 해.
    Silsuhaji aneuryeomyeon jigeumbuteorado jeongsineul bajjak charyeoya hae.
    If you don't want to make a mistake, you need to be sharp and focused from here on out.
    💡 Adding '바짝' intensifies the phrase, signaling a high-stakes need for total alertness.

Related words in Social Situations

정신이 없다 jeongsini eopda직진 jik-jin주관적 ju-gwan-jeok중독 jung-dok중독성 jung-dok-seong

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