편히 쉬세요.
Pyeonhi swiseyo.
Please rest comfortably.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
A warm, polite way to tell someone to relax, take a break, or make themselves at home.
- Means: 'Please rest comfortably' or 'Take it easy.'
- Used in: Saying goodbye to someone tired, or welcoming guests.
- Don't confuse: It is not used for 'Goodnight' (use 안녕히 주무세요 instead).
Explanation at your level:
Bedeutung
A polite suggestion for someone to relax and take a break.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The phrase is a key part of 'Goseong' (acknowledging hardship). By saying this, you recognize that the other person has worked hard. It is a safe and polite way to end a Friday email to a client or boss, showing you respect their work-life balance. Korean hosts often feel responsible for a guest's comfort. Saying this repeatedly is a sign of being a good host. On KakaoTalk, this is often accompanied by a 'sleeping' or 'relaxing' emoji to soften the tone.
The 'Friday' Rule
Always use this phrase when saying goodbye to colleagues on a Friday afternoon.
Not for Sleep
Don't say this to someone who is literally closing their eyes to sleep; it's for the 'chilling' time before sleep.
Bedeutung
A polite suggestion for someone to relax and take a break.
The 'Friday' Rule
Always use this phrase when saying goodbye to colleagues on a Friday afternoon.
Not for Sleep
Don't say this to someone who is literally closing their eyes to sleep; it's for the 'chilling' time before sleep.
Add '고생하셨습니다'
Pairing this with 'You worked hard' makes you sound like a native speaker with high emotional intelligence.
Hierarchy Matters
To a much older person, use '편안히 쉬십시오' to show extra respect.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the blank with the correct adverb.
오늘 너무 고생하셨어요. 집에 가서 ____ 쉬세요.
'편히' is the standard adverb used with '쉬세요' to mean 'rest comfortably.'
Which response is most appropriate for a boss leaving the office?
Manager: '나 먼저 퇴근할게.' Employee: '________________'
Combining 'Goodbye' with 'Rest well' is the most polite and natural response to a superior leaving.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
민수: 나 이제 집에 갈게. 오늘 너무 피곤해. 지수: 그래, 고생했어. 집에 가서 ____.
Between friends, the informal 'Ban-mal' version '편히 쉬어' is used.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are a hotel receptionist giving a key to a guest.
In hospitality, telling a guest to rest well is standard practice.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Resting vs. Sleeping
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 FragenYes, it is very common and polite. It shows you care about their well-being.
'편히' is an adverb used for state of being, while '편하게' is often used for physical comfort or ease of action. '편히 쉬세요' is the set idiom.
Usually no, unless you are in a service role (like a waiter or hotel staff) or they are visibly exhausted/injured.
Yes, it's a perfect closing for a polite, caring email.
No! For 'Rest in Peace,' Koreans use '삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.' Do not use '편히 쉬세요' at a funeral unless speaking to the living.
The informal version is '편히 쉬어' (Pyeon-hi swi-eo).
Yes, '여행 가서 편히 쉬세요' is very natural.
'푹 쉬세요' is better if the person is sick or very tired. '편히 쉬세요' is better for general relaxation.
You can say '감사합니다' (Thank you) or '네, [Name] 씨도 편히 쉬세요' (Yes, you too).
Yes, if someone is taking a 10-minute break, you can say '좀 편히 쉬세요'.
Yes, the roots are the same, though the honorific endings might differ slightly in daily speech.
Some adjectives take '히' to form adverbs based on historical linguistic patterns. '편하다' is one of them.
Verwandte Redewendungen
푹 쉬세요
similarRest deeply/thoroughly
편안히 쉬세요
synonymRest peacefully
수고하셨습니다
builds onYou worked hard
안녕히 주무세요
contrastGoodnight (honorific)
쉬엄쉬엄 하세요
specialized formTake it easy/Take breaks
Wo du es verwendest
Leaving Work
Employee: 부장님, 저 먼저 퇴근하겠습니다. 편히 쉬세요.
Manager: 그래요, 김 대리도 고생 많았어요. 잘 가요.
Hosting a Guest
Host: 여기가 손님방이에요. 짐 푸시고 편히 쉬세요.
Guest: 와, 방이 정말 깨끗하네요. 감사합니다!
Hospital Visit
Visitor: 수술 잘 끝났다니 다행이에요. 편히 쉬세요.
Patient: 와 주셔서 감사합니다. 조심히 가세요.
After a Long Trip
Friend A: 방금 집에 도착했어. 너무 피곤하다.
Friend B: 고생했네! 씻고 편히 쉬어.
End of a Phone Call
Person A: 네, 그럼 내일 뵙겠습니다.
Person B: 네, 오늘 늦었는데 편히 쉬세요.
At a Spa or Hotel
Staff: 마사지 끝났습니다. 차 드시면서 편히 쉬세요.
Customer: 네, 감사합니다.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'Pyeon' (Pillow) that is 'Hi' (High) and soft, making you 'Rest' (쉬세요).
Visual Association
A person sinking into a giant, fluffy cloud shaped like the Korean character '편'. The cloud is floating in a quiet, blue sky.
Rhyme
Work is done, the day is through, Pyeon-hi swi-se-yo to you!
Story
You visit a friend's house after hiking. They see your tired legs and point to a comfortable sofa. They say 'Pyeon-hi swi-se-yo,' and as you sit, all your stress disappears. The 'Pyeon' is the comfort of the sofa.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Next time you finish a call or a meeting with a Korean speaker, end with '편히 쉬세요' instead of just 'Goodbye.'
In Other Languages
Descansa bien
Korean requires different endings based on the listener's status.
Repose-toi bien
French uses a reflexive verb (reposer), whereas Korean uses a simple verb (쉬다).
Ruh dich aus
German feels more like a suggestion for a specific physical state than a general greeting.
ゆっくり休んでください
Japanese uses 'slowly' to imply comfort, while Korean uses 'comfortably' directly.
استرح جيداً
Arabic usage is often more formal and less common as a casual sign-off.
好好休息
Chinese uses reduplication (好好) for emphasis, which Korean doesn't do with '편히'.
Descanse bem
Like Spanish, it lacks the complex honorific system of Korean.
Rest well / Take it easy
Korean '편히 쉬세요' perfectly balances formal politeness and warm concern.
Easily Confused
Both involve 'resting' at the end of the day.
Use '주무세요' only when the person is going to bed. Use '편히 쉬세요' for any other type of relaxation.
Both are said when leaving.
Use '수고하세요' to someone who is *continuing* to work. Use '편히 쉬세요' to someone who is *finished* working.
FAQ (12)
Yes, it is very common and polite. It shows you care about their well-being.
'편히' is an adverb used for state of being, while '편하게' is often used for physical comfort or ease of action. '편히 쉬세요' is the set idiom.
Usually no, unless you are in a service role (like a waiter or hotel staff) or they are visibly exhausted/injured.
Yes, it's a perfect closing for a polite, caring email.
No! For 'Rest in Peace,' Koreans use '삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.' Do not use '편히 쉬세요' at a funeral unless speaking to the living.
The informal version is '편히 쉬어' (Pyeon-hi swi-eo).
Yes, '여행 가서 편히 쉬세요' is very natural.
'푹 쉬세요' is better if the person is sick or very tired. '편히 쉬세요' is better for general relaxation.
You can say '감사합니다' (Thank you) or '네, [Name] 씨도 편히 쉬세요' (Yes, you too).
Yes, if someone is taking a 10-minute break, you can say '좀 편히 쉬세요'.
Yes, the roots are the same, though the honorific endings might differ slightly in daily speech.
Some adjectives take '히' to form adverbs based on historical linguistic patterns. '편하다' is one of them.
