Nuance Dictionary / Sounds & Sensations
끈적끈적 kkeun-jeok-kkeun-jeok
The mildly unpleasant or overly heavy tactile sensation of sticky surfaces, viscous liquids, or gooey foods.
What does 끈적끈적 mean?
끈적끈적 (kkeun-jeok-kkeun-jeok) means: The mildly unpleasant or overly heavy tactile sensation of sticky surfaces, viscous liquids, or gooey foods.
Textbooks often translate this flatly as 'sticky,' missing the sensory weight natives attach to it. While 찐득찐득 implies a thick, syrup-like density, 끈적끈적 carries a subtle note of friction and adhesion—think of sweat clinging to your skin on a humid summer night or melted cheese stretching uncomfortably across a table. Learners usually overuse it for any kind of glue, but natives reach for it when a texture crosses the line from enjoyable to clingy or bothersome.
Other sides of 끈적끈적
◆ Clingy Interpersonal Dynamics — While textbooks teach you this for sweat or honey, natives weaponize it for toxic emotional clinginess. It paints a picture of someone whose presence feels like melted gum stuck to your shoe—impossible to shake off, annoying, and slightly gross. Learners usually miss that this isn't cute 'attached' behavior; it carries a distinct edge of exhaustion and social rejection.
◆ Sweltering Weather & Humidity — Textbooks love teaching this word for spilled honey or melted cheese, but natives reach for it the second July monsoon season hits and the air turns into a warm, wet blanket. It is the physical manifestation of regret—the sound and feeling of your thighs sticking to a subway seat or your shirt welding itself to your back. If you only use it for food, you're missing the visceral, groan-inducing misery of East Asian summer where stepping outside feels like walking through a car wash.
◆ Sweltering Weather & Humidity — Textbooks love teaching this word for spilled honey or melted cheese, but natives reach for it the second July monsoon season hits and the air turns into a warm, wet blanket. It is the physical manifestation of regret—the sound and feeling of your thighs sticking to a subway seat or your shirt welding itself to your back. If you only use it for food, you're missing the visceral, groan-inducing misery of East Asian summer where stepping outside feels like walking through a car wash.
How it's actually used
- 여름만 되면 습해서 방바닥이 끈적끈적해.
yeo-reum-man doe-myeon seup-hae-seo bang-ba-dak-i kkeun-jeok-kkeun-jeok-hae.
As soon as summer arrives, it gets so humid that the floor feels sticky.
💡 Reveals how the word captures environmental discomfort caused by humidity and sweat. - 치즈가 듬뿍 들어가서 빵이 끈적끈적하고 맛있어.
chi-jeu-ga deum-ppuk deᅳ-eo-ga-seo ppang-i kkeun-jeok-kkeun-jeok-ha-go mas-iss-eo.
It's packed with cheese, so the bread is gooey and delicious.
💡 Shows how a 'sticky' food texture can be framed as an indulgent, positive trait in the right context. - 선크림을 너무 많이 발랐더니 얼굴이 끈적끈적해.
seon-keu-ri-m-eul neo-mu manh-i bal-rat-deo-ni eol-gul-i kkeun-jeok-kkeun-jeok-hae.
I applied too much sunscreen, and now my face feels sticky.
💡 Demonstrates everyday usage for cosmetics or skincare products that leave an unwanted residue.
Related words in Sounds & Sensations
꼬들꼬들 kko-deul-kko-deul꼬불꼬불 kkobul-kkobul꾸벅꾸벅 kku-beok-kku-beok꾸덕꾸덕 kku-deok-kku-deok쿨쿨 kul-kul