Nuance Dictionary / Emotions & Feelings
눈물이 나다 nunmuri nada
An involuntary physiological overflow of tears caused entirely by physical stimuli like slicing onions, spice, or pain, stripped of any emotional sadness.
What does 눈물이 나다 mean?
눈물이 나다 (nunmuri nada) means: An involuntary physiological overflow of tears caused entirely by physical stimuli like slicing onions, spice, or pain, stripped of any emotional sadness.
Speakers use this expression to describe a purely physical reaction where eyes water because of external stimuli like strong spices, physical injury, or dust. The phrasing focuses on the mechanical production of tears rather than an emotional state. It typically functions as an intransitive description of a bodily response.
This can sometimes sound surprisingly literal in casual conversation, stripping away any dramatic or emotional undertone when someone is simply reacting to chopped onions or a spicy meal.
This can sometimes sound surprisingly literal in casual conversation, stripping away any dramatic or emotional undertone when someone is simply reacting to chopped onions or a spicy meal.
Other sides of 눈물이 나다
◆ Overwhelming Empathy — Speakers use this phrase in online communities, fan spaces, and commentary on human interest stories to describe a feeling of emotional connection to another person's situation. It frequently appears alongside accounts of personal struggle, dedication, or kindness, marking a moment where a reader or viewer feels moved by proxy. This use shifts the focus away from personal grief and toward a shared communal response to external events or public figures.
In parasocial and public contexts, this can signal an intense, performative alignment with a group's collective feelings, often blending personal empathy with shared community sentiment.
◆ Exaggerated Hyperbole — Speakers use this phrase literally to describe tears welling up from physical sensations or emotional pain. It appears in contexts involving sadness, grief, or physical discomfort. It combines with subject markers and verbs of emergence like 나다.
Among younger speakers in casual online settings, this is often extended to express extreme frustration, intense laughter, or a sense of 'cringe' that feels so overwhelming it metaphorically induces tears.
In parasocial and public contexts, this can signal an intense, performative alignment with a group's collective feelings, often blending personal empathy with shared community sentiment.
◆ Exaggerated Hyperbole — Speakers use this phrase literally to describe tears welling up from physical sensations or emotional pain. It appears in contexts involving sadness, grief, or physical discomfort. It combines with subject markers and verbs of emergence like 나다.
Among younger speakers in casual online settings, this is often extended to express extreme frustration, intense laughter, or a sense of 'cringe' that feels so overwhelming it metaphorically induces tears.
🎙️ 눈물이 나다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [눈무리 나다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 너무 매워서 눈물이 나다.
neomu maewoseo nunmuri nada.
Tears came to my eyes because it was too spicy.
💡 A physical reaction to extreme spice. - 양파를 썰 때마다 눈물이 나요.
yangpareul sseol ttaemada nunmuri nayo.
My eyes water every time I slice onions.
💡 A physiological response to eye irritation. - 너무 아파서 눈물이 났다.
neomu apaseo nunmuri natda.
It hurt so much that tears welled up.
💡 A bodily reaction to sudden physical pain.
Related words in Emotions & Feelings
피도 눈물도 없다 pido nunmoldo eopda설마 seolma심심하다 sim-sim-ha-da속이 시원하다 Sogi siwonhada속이 타다 Sogi tada