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A2 adjective #2,000 más común 4 min de lectura

초조하다

chojohada
At the A1 level, think of '초조하다' as a way to say you are very, very nervous because you are waiting for something. Imagine you are waiting for a bus and you are late for school. You look at your watch every 10 seconds. That feeling is '초조하다'. It is like being 'nervous' but specifically when you are waiting. You can say '저는 초조해요' (I am nervous/anxious).
At the A2 level, you can use '초조하다' to describe feelings in common situations like waiting for exam results or a doctor's appointment. It is different from '긴장하다' (which is for when you are doing something difficult). '초조하다' is for when you are waiting for something to happen. You can use it with '너무' (so) or '조금' (a little). For example: '결과를 기다릴 때 너무 초조했어요.'
At the B1 level, you should understand the nuance of 'impatience' within '초조하다'. It often appears in the pattern '-을까 봐 초조하다' (anxious for fear that...). It describes a state where you are restless because of a deadline or an uncertain outcome. You can also start using the third-person form '초조해하다' to describe how other people are acting when they are nervous.
At the B2 level, '초조하다' is used to describe more complex psychological states. It often appears in literature and news to describe social or political tension. You should be able to distinguish it from '조바심' (fretfulness) and '불안' (unease). It is often used to describe a character's internal conflict when they are caught in a situation where they must wait for a critical decision.
At the C1 level, you should appreciate the etymological roots of '초조' (scorched and dry) to understand its literary depth. It is used to describe an intense, almost physical discomfort of the mind. In professional contexts, it can describe market volatility or the atmosphere of high-stakes negotiations. You should be able to use it in various grammatical forms, including noun modifiers like '초조한 기색을 감추지 못하다' (unable to hide one's anxious look).
At the C2 level, '초조하다' is a tool for nuanced psychological portraiture. It can be used to describe existential dread or the specific anxiety of a modern society obsessed with time and efficiency. You can use it in philosophical discussions about the nature of waiting and human patience. Mastery involves using it alongside archaic or highly formal synonyms to create specific stylistic effects in writing.
Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

초조하다 en 30 segundos

  • 초조하다 means being nervous and impatient, specifically while waiting for an outcome or dealing with a tight deadline.
  • It is different from general fear; it focuses on the restlessness of anticipation and the 'scorched' feeling of worry.
  • Commonly used in contexts like waiting for exam results, hospital news, or when running late for an appointment.
  • The word can be used as an adjective (초조하다) or turned into an action verb (초조해하다) to describe others.

The Korean adjective 초조하다 (chojohada) describes a specific state of psychological unrest, characterized by a mixture of anxiety, nervousness, and impatience. It is most commonly used when one is waiting for an important event, a result, or someone's arrival, and the uncertainty of the outcome creates a 'burning' sensation in the heart. The term originates from the Hanja characters 焦 (cho) meaning 'to burn' or 'to scorch' and 燥 (jo) meaning 'dry.' Etymologically, it suggests a state where one's internal peace is being 'scorched dry' by the heat of worry.

Primary Nuance
Restlessness caused by waiting or uncertainty.
Physical Sensation
Often associated with pacing, biting nails, or an inability to sit still.
Emotional Weight
Heavier than simple 'nervousness' (긴장); it implies a lack of patience.

"시험 결과를 기다리는 동안 너무 초조해서 아무것도 할 수 없었어요." (I was so anxious while waiting for the exam results that I couldn't do anything.)

Unlike '긴장하다' (to be tense/nervous), which often happens *during* a performance or a speech, 초조하다 is the feeling of the clock ticking while you wait for something to happen. It is the jittery feeling in the pit of your stomach when you are running late for an interview and the bus is stuck in traffic.

"시간이 다 되어 가는데 아직 준비가 안 끝나서 초조하다." (I'm nervous because time is running out and I'm not finished yet.)

Synonym Comparison
불안하다 (Anxious about safety/future) vs 초조하다 (Anxious about immediate results/time).

"그는 초조한 빛이 역력했다." (He clearly looked anxious/restless.)

"면접 순서를 기다리며 초조하게 발을 굴렀다." (I tapped my feet anxiously while waiting for my turn in the interview.)

Using 초조하다 correctly requires understanding its grammatical behavior as a descriptive verb (adjective). It typically describes the subject's internal state. It is frequently paired with adverbs like '너무' (too/so), '몹시' (extremely), or '무척' (very) to emphasize the intensity of the restlessness.

Common Grammar Patterns
~어서/아서 초조하다 (Nervous because of...), ~을까 봐 초조하다 (Nervous for fear that...).

When you want to describe someone else's appearance of being nervous, you might use the form 초조해하다. This transforms the adjective into an action verb, indicating that the person is *showing* or *expressing* their anxiety outwardly.

"그는 합격 소식을 기다리며 초조해하고 있다." (He is appearing anxious while waiting for the news of passing.)

In formal writing or literature, you will often see it modifying nouns, such as 초조한 마음 (anxious heart/mind) or 초조한 기색 (anxious look). This adds a layer of descriptive depth to the narrative.

You will encounter 초조하다 in various real-life scenarios in Korea. One of the most common places is in Korean dramas (K-Dramas), specifically in scenes where a character is waiting outside an emergency room or waiting for a life-changing phone call. The camera often focuses on their hands shaking or feet tapping to visually represent the word.

In news broadcasts, reporters might use the word to describe the atmosphere of a political election or a high-stakes sports match. For example, '개표 결과를 기다리는 후보들의 마음은 초조할 것입니다' (The candidates' hearts must be anxious as they wait for the ballot counting results).

"마감 시간이 다가오자 작가는 초조해지기 시작했다." (As the deadline approached, the writer began to get anxious.)

In daily conversation, friends might say it to each other when waiting for a date or a reply to a text message. '답장이 안 와서 너무 초조해' (I'm so nervous/impatient because I'm not getting a reply).

A frequent mistake for learners is confusing 초조하다 with 긴장하다 (to be tense/nervous). While they overlap, 긴장하다 is the adrenaline rush you feel *before* or *during* a performance. 초조하다 is the restless anxiety of *waiting* for something you cannot control.

Mistake 1
Using '초조하다' for stage fright. (Use '긴장하다' instead).
Mistake 2
Using '초조하다' for general worry about the future. (Use '불안하다' instead).

Another mistake is the incorrect use of 초조하다 vs 초조해하다. Remember that 초조하다 is used for your own feelings (1st person) in most contexts, while 초조해하다 is used to describe the *observed* anxiety of a third person.

There are several words that share a semantic field with 초조하다. Understanding the nuances between them will elevate your Korean proficiency.

조바심 (Jobasim)
A noun meaning 'anxiety' or 'fretfulness.' Often used as '조바심이 나다.'
안달하다 (Andalhada)
To be in a fret, to be impatient to do something. Usually has a more active, fidgety nuance.
불안하다 (Buran-hada)
To be uneasy or anxious. This is a broader term for lack of peace.

While 초조하다 focuses on the 'waiting' aspect, 조바심 often implies a worry that things might go wrong. 안달하다 is often used when someone is desperately wanting something to happen right now.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

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Informal

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Nivel de dificultad

Gramática que debes saber

Ejemplos por nivel

1

시험 때문에 초조해요.

I am nervous because of the exam.

N-때문에 (Because of N)

2

친구가 안 와서 초조해요.

I'm anxious because my friend isn't coming.

V-아서/어서 (Reason)

3

너무 초조해하지 마세요.

Don't be so nervous.

-지 마세요 (Don't...)

4

초조할 때 물을 마셔요.

Drink water when you are anxious.

-(으)ㄹ 때 (When...)

5

왜 그렇게 초조해요?

Why are you so anxious?

왜 (Why)

6

기차가 늦어서 초조해요.

The train is late, so I'm anxious.

V-아서 (Reason)

7

엄마를 기다리며 초조했어요.

I was anxious while waiting for my mom.

-(으)며 (While...)

8

초조한 마음이 들어요.

I feel anxious.

N-이/가 들다 (To have a feeling)

1

발표를 앞두고 마음이 초조하다.

My heart is anxious ahead of the presentation.

-을 앞두고 (Ahead of...)

2

시간이 없어서 점점 초조해진다.

I'm getting more and more anxious because there's no time.

-어/아지다 (To become...)

3

그는 초조하게 손톱을 깨물었다.

He bit his nails anxiously.

-게 (Adverbializer)

4

결과가 늦게 나와서 초조해요.

I'm anxious because the results are coming out late.

V-아서 (Reason)

5

초조해하는 친구를 위로해 주었다.

I comforted my friend who was acting anxious.

-해하다 (To appear/act...)

6

면접장 밖에서 초조하게 기다렸다.

I waited anxiously outside the interview room.

Place-에서 (At/In)

7

비행기를 놓칠까 봐 초조했다.

I was anxious for fear of missing the plane.

-을까 봐 (For fear of...)

8

초조한 표정으로 시계를 보았다.

He looked at the clock with an anxious expression.

N-으로 (With...)

1

합격자 명단에 이름이 없을까 봐 초조하다.

I'm anxious that my name might not be on the list of successful candidates.

-을까 봐 (Fear/Worry)

2

그는 초조한 나머지 방 안을 서성거렸다.

He paced around the room out of anxiety.

-(으)ㄴ 나머지 (As a result of being too...)

3

마감 기한이 다가올수록 초조함이 더해갔다.

As the deadline approached, the anxiety increased.

-(으)ㄹ수록 (The more... the more...)

4

부모님께 거짓말을 한 것이 들통날까 봐 초조했다.

I was anxious that my lie to my parents would be found out.

V-ㄴ 것이 (The fact that...)

5

그녀는 초조한 기색을 감추려고 애썼다.

She tried hard to hide her anxious look.

-(으)려고 애쓰다 (To struggle to...)

6

연락이 끊긴 친구 걱정에 초조한 밤을 보냈다.

I spent an anxious night worrying about my friend who lost contact.

N-에 (Due to...)

7

중요한 전화를 기다리느라 온종일 초조했다.

I was anxious all day waiting for an important call.

-느라 (Because of doing...)

8

경기가 끝나기 직전이라 관중들도 초조해 보였다.

Since it was just before the game ended, the audience also looked anxious.

-아/어 보이다 (To look like...)

1

수술 결과를 기다리는 가족들의 마음은 초조하기 그지없었다.

The hearts of the family members waiting for the surgery results were beyond anxious.

-기 그지없다 (To be extremely...)

2

그는 초조함을 달래기 위해 심호흡을 크게 했다.

He took a deep breath to soothe his anxiety.

-(으)기 위해 (In order to...)

3

주가 폭락 소식에 투자자들은 초조한 기색이 역력했다.

Investors' anxiety was evident at the news of the stock market crash.

N-이 역력하다 (To be evident/clear)

4

아무리 초조해도 서두르면 실수를 하기 마련이다.

No matter how anxious you are, you are bound to make mistakes if you hurry.

-기 마련이다 (To be bound to...)

5

그는 초조한 마음을 억누르며 차분하게 대답했다.

He suppressed his anxious heart and answered calmly.

V-으며 (While...)

6

범인은 경찰의 수사망이 좁혀오자 초조해지기 시작했다.

The criminal began to get anxious as the police net tightened.

V-자 (As soon as/When...)

7

결승선을 눈앞에 두고 초조해진 선수가 실수를 범했다.

The athlete, who became anxious with the finish line in sight, made a mistake.

N-을 눈앞에 두고 (With N in sight)

8

초조한 기다림 끝에 마침내 기쁜 소식이 들려왔다.

After an anxious wait, good news finally arrived.

N- 끝에 (At the end of N)

1

현대인들은 성과 중심의 사회에서 늘 초조함에 시달리며 살아간다.

Modern people live constantly suffering from anxiety in a performance-oriented society.

N-에 시달리다 (To suffer from N)

2

작가는 마감 시간이 임박하자 초조한 필치로 원고를 써 내려갔다.

As the deadline approached, the writer wrote the manuscript with an anxious touch.

N-이 임박하다 (To be imminent)

3

그의 눈빛에는 초조함과 불안감이 교차하고 있었다.

Anxiety and unease were crossing in his eyes.

N-이 교차하다 (To cross/intersect)

4

협상이 결렬될 위기에 처하자 양측 모두 초조한 기색을 보였다.

As the negotiations faced the risk of breaking down, both sides showed signs of anxiety.

N-에 처하다 (To be in a situation)

5

초조함은 때로 판단력을 흐리게 하여 돌이킬 수 없는 실수를 유발한다.

Anxiety sometimes clouds judgment and causes irreversible mistakes.

V-게 하여 (By making...)

6

그는 자신의 정체가 탄로 날까 봐 초조한 나날을 보내고 있다.

He is spending anxious days for fear that his identity will be revealed.

N-을 보내다 (To spend time)

7

정치적 불확실성이 커지면서 시장에는 초조한 분위기가 감돌고 있다.

As political uncertainty grows, an anxious atmosphere is hanging over the market.

N-이 감돌다 (To hang/hover)

8

그녀의 초조한 거동은 무언가 숨기고 있음을 암시했다.

Her anxious behavior suggested that she was hiding something.

V-음 (Nominalization)

1

실존적 고독 속에서 인간은 자신의 유한성을 깨닫고 초조해하기 마련이다.

In existential solitude, humans are bound to realize their finiteness and become anxious.

N-성 (Suffix for -ness/-ity)

2

시대의 급변하는 흐름 속에서 도태될지 모른다는 초조함이 사회 전반을 지배하고 있다.

The anxiety that one might be left behind in the rapidly changing flow of the times dominates society as a whole.

V-ㄹ지 모른다 (Might...)

3

그의 문체는 인물의 내면적 초조함을 극도로 세밀하게 묘사하고 있다.

His writing style describes the character's internal anxiety with extreme detail.

Adv-하게 (Adverbializer)

4

기다림의 미학은 사라지고, 오직 초조한 결과 지상주의만이 남았다.

The aesthetics of waiting have disappeared, and only anxious result-oriented supremacy remains.

N-지상주의 (Supremacy of N)

5

권력의 정점에서 느끼는 초조함은 평범한 이들의 그것과는 차원이 다르다.

The anxiety felt at the peak of power is on a different level from that of ordinary people.

N-의 그것 (That of N)

6

초조함이라는 감정은 인간이 시간의 노예임을 증명하는 역설적인 증거이다.

The emotion of anxiety is paradoxical evidence proving that humans are slaves to time.

N-이라는 (Called N)

7

그는 초조함의 근원을 탐구하며 철학적 사유의 깊이를 더해갔다.

He explored the source of anxiety and added depth to his philosophical thinking.

V-며 (While...)

8

무지의 공포보다 더 무서운 것은 확실한 파멸을 기다리는 초조함이다.

What is scarier than the fear of ignorance is the anxiety of waiting for certain destruction.

N-보다 (Than N)

Colocaciones comunes

마음이 초조하다
초조하게 기다리다
초조한 기색
초조함이 밀려오다
초조해지기 시작하다
초조함을 감추다
초조함을 달래다
초조한 표정
초조한 빛
초조하게 서성이다

Frases Comunes

너무 초조해하지 마.

초조해서 죽겠어.

시간이 갈수록 초조해져.

결과가 안 나와서 초조해.

초조한 마음으로 전화를 기다려.

왜 그렇게 초조해 보여?

초조함을 참을 수 없어.

초조한 나머지 실수를 했어.

초조하게 시계만 보고 있어.

초조함이 얼굴에 다 드러나.

Se confunde a menudo con

초조하다 vs 긴장하다

초조하다 vs 불안하다

초조하다 vs 답답하다

Modismos y expresiones

""

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""

""

""

""

""

""

""

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Fácil de confundir

초조하다 vs 긴장하다

Tension during an action vs. anxiety while waiting.

초조하다 vs 불안하다

General unease vs. specific impatience/restlessness.

초조하다 vs 조급하다

Being in a hurry (personality) vs. feeling anxious (state).

Patrones de oraciones

Cómo usarlo

1st person

Use 초조하다 (e.g., 나는 초조하다).

3rd person

Use 초조해하다 (e.g., 그는 초조해한다).

Errores comunes
  • Confusing with 긴장하다 (tension).
  • Using the adjective form for 3rd person subjects.
  • Using it for fear of ghosts or monsters.
  • Misspelling it as 조초하다.
  • Using it when you are just 'busy' but not necessarily 'anxious'.

Consejos

Third Person Rule

When describing someone else, use 초조해하다 instead of 초조하다.

Synonym Choice

Use '조마조마하다' for a more 'thrilling' or 'on-edge' kind of anxiety.

Pali-Pali

Understand that Koreans value speed, so '초조함' is a frequent cultural theme.

Intonation

Say it with a slightly faster pace to mimic the feeling of the word.

Descriptive Power

Use '초조한 기색' to show rather than tell a character's emotion.

Context Clues

If you hear '시간' (time) or '결과' (result), '초조하다' is likely to follow.

Scorched Earth

Remember the Hanja 'Burn' (焦) to recall the intense feeling.

Avoid Overuse

Don't use it for every kind of worry; keep it for 'waiting' contexts.

Body Parts

Many idioms for 초조함 involve the heart (가슴) or liver (애).

Formal Form

In very formal settings, use '초조함을 금치 못하다' (cannot help but feel anxious).

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'Cho' as 'Choking' and 'Jo' as 'Jittery'. You are choking with jittery nerves while waiting.

Origen de la palabra

Sino-Korean

Contexto cultural

Deadlines in the fast-paced Korean corporate world are a major source of 초조함.

The '1' disappearing on KakaoTalk (read receipt) can make someone feel 초조하다 if there's no reply.

Students often feel 초조하다 for months leading up to the national exam.

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Inicios de conversación

"시험 결과 나올 때까지 초조하지 않아요?"

"초조할 때 보통 뭐 하세요?"

"면접 볼 때 너무 초조해서 실수한 적 있어요?"

"중요한 전화를 기다릴 때 초조함을 어떻게 달래나요?"

"시간이 부족해서 초조했던 경험이 있나요?"

Temas para diario

최근에 가장 초조했던 순간에 대해 써 보세요.

초조함을 느낄 때의 신체적 변화를 묘사해 보세요.

초조함이 우리 삶에 긍정적인 영향을 줄 수도 있을까요?

만약 기다림이 없다면 초조함도 사라질까요?

초조해하는 친구에게 해주고 싶은 말을 적어 보세요.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Usually no. Use '무섭다' or '긴장감 넘치다' for scary or suspenseful movies.

It is generally negative, as it involves a lack of peace and comfort.

They are very similar, but 조바심 often implies a worry that something will go wrong, while 초조 is more about the restlessness of waiting.

Yes, it means an anxious person, but it usually describes their current state, not their permanent personality.

초조해하지 마세요.

Yes, especially regarding deadlines or market results.

느긋하다 (to be relaxed/easygoing).

Yes, but they might use simpler words like '떨려요'.

Very common, especially in emotional or high-pressure situations.

Yes, 焦燥 (Cho-jo).

Ponte a prueba 180 preguntas

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