Nuance Dictionary / People & Relationships
내리사랑 nae-ri-sa-rang
The immutable law of parental affection that flows strictly downward—bottomless, unrequited, and never fully returned upward.
What does 내리사랑 mean?
내리사랑 (nae-ri-sa-rang) means: The immutable law of parental affection that flows strictly downward—bottomless, unrequited, and never fully returned upward.
Textbooks translate this as 'parental love,' but that completely misses the gravitational physics of the word. '내리' means descending, making this a bittersweet acknowledgment that you only truly understand your parents once you have your own kids. Natives use it not to praise family warmth, but often with a heavy, melancholic sigh when realizing that love in a family can never be a two-way street.
Other sides of 내리사랑
◆ multigenerational-ripple — While textbooks often reduce '내리사랑' to simple parental love, seasoned observers know it truly shines in the chaotic ecosystem of extended Korean families. It describes a bittersweet reality: you can never truly repay the love you received from your elders; you can only pass it down to the next generation. Natives use this word to explain why halmeoni sneaks extra pocket money to the grandchildren while nagging her own adult children, capturing the unidirectional, unstoppable flow of familial devotion.
How it's actually used
- 부모가 되어보니 비로소 내리사랑의 무게를 알겠더라고요.
bu-mo-ga ddoe-eo-bo-ni bi-ro-so nae-ri-sa-rang-eui mu-gae-reul al-get-de-ra-go-yo.
Only after becoming a parent did I finally come to understand the weight of downward parental love.
💡 Reveals that the word is deeply tied to personal maturation and the realization of life's one-way debts. - 효도하겠다는 말에 엄마는 치이듯 웃으며 내리사랑이라 치부하셨다.
hyo-do-ha-get-da-neun mal-e om-ma-neun chi-i-deut ut-u-myeo nae-ri-sa-rang-i-ra chi-bu-ha-syeot-da.
When I said I'd be a dutiful child, Mom just gave a tired, knowing smile and brushed it off as mere 'nae-ri-sa-rang.'
💡 Shows how parents use the concept to absolve their children from feeling guilty about not loving them back equally. - 부모님이 주시는 사랑은 정말 끝없는 내리사랑인 것 같아요.
bumonimi jusineun sarangeun jeongmal kkeuteomneun naerisarangin geot gatayo.
The love parents give is truly bottomless parental affection flowing downward.
💡 Reflects the unidirectional nature of parental love.
Related words in People & Relationships
내 사람 nae sa-ram내숭 naesung남사친 nam-sa-chin낯을 가리다 Nat-eul gar-i-da눈치 없이 nun-chi-eops-i