천천히 드세요.
Cheoncheonhi deuseyo.
Eat slowly/Enjoy your meal.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
A polite way to tell someone to take their time eating and enjoy the meal without feeling rushed.
- Means: 'Please eat slowly' as a gesture of hospitality and care.
- Used in: Restaurants by staff, or at home by a host to a guest.
- Don't confuse: It is not a literal command to chew slowly for health reasons.
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
A polite encouragement to enjoy food at a leisurely pace.
خلفية ثقافية
The 'Pali-pali' (hurry-hurry) culture is a hallmark of modern Korea, but the dinner table is where this is traditionally resisted. '천천히 드세요' is a linguistic attempt to preserve a space for relaxation. Korean dining etiquette is heavily influenced by Confucianism, where the order of eating and the pace are determined by age. The senior person usually starts the meal. In Korea, indigestion (체하다) is a common cultural concern. Eating slowly is seen as a primary way to prevent this, making the phrase both a social and a health-related wish. In Korean service culture, the 'customer is king' mentality means that waitstaff use highly honorific language. '천천히 드세요' is part of a script designed to show maximum respect.
Pair it up
Combine it with '맛있게 드세요' (Enjoy your meal) to sound like a native pro. '맛있게 천천히 드세요!'
Watch the Hierarchy
If you are the youngest at the table, wait for others to start or for the host to say this before you dig in too aggressively.
المعنى
A polite encouragement to enjoy food at a leisurely pace.
Pair it up
Combine it with '맛있게 드세요' (Enjoy your meal) to sound like a native pro. '맛있게 천천히 드세요!'
Watch the Hierarchy
If you are the youngest at the table, wait for others to start or for the host to say this before you dig in too aggressively.
The 'Jeong' Factor
Saying this shows you are looking out for the other person's well-being, which is the core of Korean social bonding.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the most appropriate phrase for a waiter to say to a customer after serving food.
주문하신 김치찌개 나왔습니다. ________.
'천천히 드세요' is the standard polite way for service staff to encourage customers to enjoy their meal.
Complete the dialogue between a mother and her child.
아이: 엄마, 배고파요! (Starts eating very fast) 엄마: 아이고, ________. 체하겠다.
A mother speaking to her child uses the informal '먹어' rather than the honorific '드세요.'
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Match '천천히 잡수세요' to its best context.
'잡수시다' is a high honorific used for elders like grandparents.
Fill in the blank with the correct adverb.
음식이 아주 뜨거워요. _______ 드세요.
Since the food is hot, the most logical advice is to eat 'slowly' (천천히).
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Honorific Levels of 'Eat Slowly'
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةYes, but it's better if the boss says it to you. If you say it, make sure it sounds like a warm wish for their comfort, not an instruction.
Only if said to someone older or a stranger. To a friend or child, it is perfectly warm and normal.
'드세요' is the standard polite form. '잡수세요' is a higher honorific used for the elderly.
You say it as the food is being served or just as everyone is about to pick up their chopsticks.
Yes! Since '드시다' covers both eating and drinking, you can say it when serving tea or coffee.
The best response is '네, 감사합니다' (Yes, thank you) or '잘 먹겠습니다' (I will eat well).
Yes, if you are sending a gift icon (like a Starbucks coupon) or if you know someone is about to have a meal.
Not necessarily. It's a social cue to relax. However, if the food is very hot, it might be a literal warning!
It's a mix of traditional etiquette (showing you aren't greedy) and health (preventing indigestion).
Yes, this is also very polite and common. It literally means 'Please have your meal slowly.'
عبارات ذات صلة
맛있게 드세요
similarEnjoy your meal (lit. Eat deliciously).
많이 드세요
similarEat a lot.
잘 먹겠습니다
builds onI will eat well.
편하게 드세요
synonymEat comfortably.
أين تستخدمها
At a Traditional Restaurant
Server: 주문하신 불고기 나왔습니다. 천천히 드세요.
Customer: 네, 감사합니다. 잘 먹겠습니다.
Visiting a Korean Friend's Home
Friend's Mom: 우리 집 음식이 입에 맞을지 모르겠네. 천천히 드세요.
You: 정말 맛있어 보여요! 잘 먹겠습니다.
On a First Date
Person A: 제가 너무 빨리 먹었나요? 미안해요.
Person B: 아니에요, 괜찮아요. 천천히 드세요. 저도 천천히 먹고 있어요.
Business Dinner with a Client
Host: 오늘 와주셔서 감사합니다. 음식 식기 전에 천천히 드세요.
Client: 초대해 주셔서 감사합니다. 분위기가 참 좋네요.
Giving a Snack to a Colleague
You: 김 대리님, 이거 제가 구운 쿠키예요. 천천히 드세요.
Colleague: 와, 고마워요! 잘 먹을게요.
Feeding a Child (Informal)
Parent: 뜨거워! 천천히 먹어.
Child: 네, 엄마!
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Cheon-Cheon' (Slow-Slow) turtle wearing a 'Deu-seyo' (Dress) at a dinner table.
Visual Association
Imagine a steaming bowl of Korean stew (Jjigae) and a friendly grandmother waving her hand downward, signaling you to slow down and enjoy the steam.
Rhyme
Cheon-cheon-hi, don't you fly, eat your food and say hi!
Story
You are at a Korean friend's house. You are so hungry you start eating like a whirlwind. Your friend's mother smiles, puts a hand on your shoulder, and says 'Cheoncheonhi deuseyo.' You realize the meal is a marathon, not a sprint.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Next time you are at a Korean restaurant, wait for the server to bring the food. If they say '천천히 드세요,' respond with '감사합니다' (Thank you). If they don't say it, imagine saying it to a friend you are eating with.
In Other Languages
ゆっくり召し上がってください
Japanese often uses 'Itadakimasu' as a self-directed phrase, whereas this is directed at others.
慢用 (Màn yòng)
Chinese is more concise, using only two characters.
Buen provecho / Que aproveche
Spanish lacks the specific 'slow down' instruction found in the Korean phrase.
Bon appétit / Prenez votre temps
French separates the 'enjoy' part from the 'take your time' part.
Lassen Sie sich Zeit
German uses 'Guten Appetit' for the meal itself.
بالهناء والشفاء (Bil-hana' wa ash-shifa')
The concept of 'slow eating' as a politeness marker is less linguistically codified.
Take your time / Enjoy your meal
English doesn't have a single phrase that combines 'slowly' and 'eat' as a standard polite greeting.
Bom apetite / Coma devagar
Lacks the honorific depth of the Korean '드세요'.
Easily Confused
Learners often use '하세요' (do) instead of '드세요' (eat) when they want to say 'take your time' at the table.
Always remember that Korean has specific verbs for eating that must be used in dining contexts.
Both start with '천천히,' but '가세요' means 'go.'
This is used when someone is leaving your house or a shop (Go safely/slowly).
الأسئلة الشائعة (10)
Yes, but it's better if the boss says it to you. If you say it, make sure it sounds like a warm wish for their comfort, not an instruction.
Only if said to someone older or a stranger. To a friend or child, it is perfectly warm and normal.
'드세요' is the standard polite form. '잡수세요' is a higher honorific used for the elderly.
You say it as the food is being served or just as everyone is about to pick up their chopsticks.
Yes! Since '드시다' covers both eating and drinking, you can say it when serving tea or coffee.
The best response is '네, 감사합니다' (Yes, thank you) or '잘 먹겠습니다' (I will eat well).
Yes, if you are sending a gift icon (like a Starbucks coupon) or if you know someone is about to have a meal.
Not necessarily. It's a social cue to relax. However, if the food is very hot, it might be a literal warning!
It's a mix of traditional etiquette (showing you aren't greedy) and health (preventing indigestion).
Yes, this is also very polite and common. It literally means 'Please have your meal slowly.'
