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A2 adjective 8 دقیقه مطالعه

낯설다

natseolda
مثال‌ها 낯설다 در ۳۰ ثانیه
توضیح 낯설다 in your Level:
At the A1 level, think of 낯설다 as the word for 'I don't know this.' Imagine you are in a new classroom or looking at a new book. Everything is new. In Korean, we use this word to say that a face or a place is not in our memory yet. It is a very useful word when you travel or meet new people. You can simply say '낯설어요' (It's unfamiliar) when you are in a place you don't recognize. At this stage, you should focus on the basic form and the phrase '낯선 사람' (stranger), which is very common in basic safety and social contexts. Remember that it is an adjective, so it describes how something feels to you. If you go to a new park and don't know where the bathroom is, the park feels 낯설어요. It is a simple way to express that you are in a new situation.
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At the A2 level, you can start using 낯설다 to describe your experiences in more detail. You should be able to use the noun-modifying form 낯선 (unfamiliar) with common nouns like 낯선 도시 (unfamiliar city) or 낯선 음식 (unfamiliar food). You also learn the past tense 낯설었어요 to describe how you felt when you first arrived in Korea or started a new job. At this level, it's important to distinguish 낯설다 from 모르다 (to not know). While 모르다 is about information, 낯설다 is about the feeling of lack of recognition. For example, you might 'know' (know of) a person, but their face still feels 'unfamiliar' (낯설다) if you haven't seen them in a long time. Practice using the pattern 'N이/가 낯설다' to describe things around you.
At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using 낯설다 in complex sentences and understanding its emotional nuances. You can use it to describe abstract feelings, such as feeling like a stranger in your own home or finding a friend's behavior unusual. You should also start using the adverbial form 낯설게 with verbs like 느껴지다 (to be felt) or 들리다 (to sound). For example, '그의 목소리가 낯설게 들렸어요' (His voice sounded unfamiliar). This level also involves understanding the difference between 낯설다 and 이상하다 (strange/weird). You should use 낯설다 when the 'strangeness' comes from your lack of experience, and 이상하다 when the thing itself is objectively odd. You can also use the word to talk about cultural differences and the 'unfamiliar' customs you encounter while living abroad.
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At the B2 level, you can use 낯설다 to discuss literary themes or more complex social issues. You might analyze how a character in a novel feels 낯설다 in a changing society. You should also be familiar with the verb form 낯설어하다, which is used when describing a third person's reaction to something unfamiliar. For example, '아기가 낯선 사람을 보고 낯설어해요' (The baby sees a stranger and acts shy/uncomfortable). You can also use the word in the context of 'estrangement' or 'alienation' in social studies or psychology. At this stage, you should be able to explain the etymology of the word (낯 + 설다) and how it relates to the concept of 'unripeness'. You can also use it to describe 'unfamiliar perspectives' (낯선 시각) in debates or essays, showing a high level of linguistic flexibility.
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At the C1 level, your usage of 낯설다 should be nuanced and sophisticated. You can use it to describe the 'uncanny' (das Unheimliche) in psychological or philosophical discussions—the feeling of something being simultaneously familiar and alien. You should be able to use it in professional settings to describe 'unfamiliar markets' or 'unfamiliar consumer behavior'. You will also encounter the word in high-level literature where it might be used to describe a sense of existential dread or the feeling of being a stranger to oneself. You should be able to distinguish it from highly specific synonyms like 생소하다, 서먹하다, and 기이하다. Your ability to use 낯설다 in various grammatical structures, including poetic inversions and complex relative clauses, should be well-developed. You can also explore the noun form 낯섦 (unfamiliarity) and use it as a subject in academic writing.
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At the C2 level, you have a masterly grasp of 낯설다 and its place in the Korean linguistic landscape. You can appreciate and use the word in its most archaic or poetic forms. You understand how the concept of 'unfamiliarity' has shifted in Korean culture from a community-based wariness of outsiders to a modern, urban sense of individual alienation. You can discuss the word's relationship with the 'Defamiliarization' (Ostranenie) technique in literary theory, using the Korean term 낯설게 하기. You are capable of using the word in any register, from the most casual slang to the most formal academic discourse, and you can play with its meaning in creative writing. You understand the deep cultural roots of '낯' (face) and how it connects to other 'face-related' idioms, providing a holistic view of the word's significance in the Korean worldview.
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مثال‌ها

낯설다 در ۳۰ ثانیه

  • 낯설다 means 'unfamiliar' or 'strange' due to a lack of prior experience.
  • It comes from '낯' (face) and '설다' (unripe/unfamiliar).
  • It is used for people, places, sounds, and feelings that are new to you.
  • The noun form is '낯섦' and the third-person verb is '낯설어하다'.

The Korean adjective 낯설다 (nat-seol-da) is a profound and evocative word that describes the feeling of something being unfamiliar, strange, or alien to one's previous experience. At its core, the word is a compound of two distinct parts: 낯, meaning 'face' or 'countenance', and 설다, which originates from an old root meaning 'unripe' or 'not fully cooked' (similar to the modern 설익다). Therefore, the literal, etymological translation is 'to have an unripe face'—meaning a face or a presence that has not yet become 'cooked' or 'ripe' in your memory. This beautiful metaphor extends far beyond just physical faces; it is used for places, smells, sounds, feelings, and even new technologies or social situations.

The Sensory Aspect
When you walk into a neighborhood you have never visited before, the architecture, the street signs, and even the way the wind blows might feel 낯설다. It captures that initial moment of hesitation before your brain has mapped out the surroundings. It is the visual 'newness' that feels slightly distancing.
The Emotional Weight
Unlike the English word 'strange' or 'weird' (이상하다), which can imply that something is wrong or creepy, 낯설다 is often more neutral or even poetic. It describes the state of the observer rather than a defect in the object. If you move to a new country, everything feels 낯설다, which is a natural part of the adjustment process.

처음 이 도시에 왔을 때는 모든 것이 너무 낯설었어요. (When I first came to this city, everything was so unfamiliar.)

Koreans use this word frequently in literature and music to express a sense of alienation or the bittersweet feeling of change. For instance, if you return to your hometown after twenty years and find it filled with skyscrapers instead of the trees you remember, you would say the town has become 낯설다. It isn't that the town is 'weird'; it's that your memory no longer matches the reality. This gap between memory and reality is the quintessential domain of this word.

Situational Usage
You might use it when meeting a distant relative you haven't seen since childhood. Even though you are family, their face is 낯설다. You can also use it for a voice on the phone that you don't recognize, or even a new habit you are trying to form that doesn't feel like 'you' yet.

거울 속에 비친 내 모습이 오늘따라 낯설게 느껴진다. (The reflection of myself in the mirror feels strange/unfamiliar today for some reason.)

Using 낯설다 correctly requires understanding its grammar as an adjective (descriptive verb) and its common collocations. Because it is an adjective, it functions as a predicate at the end of a sentence or as a modifier before a noun. When modifying a noun, it changes to 낯선. This is one of the most common ways you will encounter the word in daily life.

Noun Modification (Attributive Form)
To describe an 'unfamiliar thing', you use 낯선 + Noun. For example, 낯선 사람 (a stranger), 낯선 땅 (an unfamiliar land/foreign country), or 낯선 향기 (an unfamiliar scent). This form is used to set the scene or identify a subject that is new to the speaker.

어머니는 낯선 사람을 따라가지 말라고 하셨어요. (My mother told me not to follow strangers/unfamiliar people.)

When used as a predicate to describe how a subject feels or appears, the conjugation follows the standard rules for adjectives ending in -다. However, note the ㄹ (rieul) at the bottom. In some conjugations, this ㄹ remains stable. For example, in the polite present tense, it becomes 낯설어요. In the past tense, it becomes 낯설었어요.

Common Phrasal Patterns
A very frequent pattern is [Subject]이/가 낯설다. For example, 한국말이 아직 낯설어요 (Korean language is still unfamiliar/strange to me). Another common pattern is 낯설게 느껴지다 (to feel unfamiliar), which emphasizes the internal subjective feeling of the speaker.

새로 이사한 집이 아직은 좀 낯설어요. (The house I recently moved to is still a bit unfamiliar.)

In more advanced contexts, you might see the word used to describe abstract concepts like 'unfamiliar technology' (낯선 기술) or 'an unfamiliar perspective' (낯선 시각). It is a versatile tool for expressing the psychological distance between the observer and the observed. Whether you are talking about a physical object or a complex theory, 낯설다 perfectly communicates that the 'face' of the subject has not yet become familiar to your mind.

In the real world of Korean communication, 낯설다 is a staple of emotional expression. You will encounter it in various media, from the lyrics of melancholic K-pop ballads to the dialogue in K-dramas where characters move to new environments or lose their memories.

In K-Pop Lyrics
Songwriters love this word because it rhymes well and carries a heavy emotional punch. It often appears in breakup songs: "네가 없는 이 거리가 너무 낯설어" (This street without you feels so unfamiliar). Here, it conveys a sense of loneliness and the jarring reality of life after a relationship ends.

익숙했던 네 목소리가 이제는 낯설게 들려. (Your voice, which used to be so familiar, now sounds unfamiliar/strange.)

You will also hear it frequently in travel variety shows (like 'Begin Again' or 'Traveler'). When Korean celebrities go abroad, they often describe their first impressions using 낯설다. They use it to describe the architecture of Europe, the smells of a market in Southeast Asia, or the social customs of America. It signals to the audience that the traveler is out of their comfort zone and experiencing something new and exciting (or perhaps intimidating).

Daily Life and News
On the news, you might hear about 낯선 환경 (unfamiliar environments) in reports about refugees, immigrants, or students studying abroad. In daily life, a parent might say to a child who is shy around new people, "사람들이 낯설어서 그래요" (It's because the people are unfamiliar to him/her).

Finally, in literature, 낯설다 is used to describe the 'uncanny'—that feeling when something should be familiar but feels 'off'. If a character returns home and finds their family acting strangely, they would use this word. It highlights the psychological distance and the lack of recognition that occurs when expectations are subverted by a new and unknown reality.

While 낯설다 is a common word, English speakers often trip over its specific nuances, frequently confusing it with other words for 'strange' or 'weird'. Understanding these distinctions is key to sounding like a natural speaker.

Mistake 1: Confusing with '이상하다' (Isang-hada)
In English, 'strange' can mean 'unfamiliar' OR 'weird/wrong'. In Korean, 이상하다 is used for things that are weird, odd, or out of the ordinary in a potentially negative or confusing way. 낯설다 specifically means you haven't seen it before. If you see a blue dog, that's 이상하다. If you see a breed of dog you've never seen before, that's 낯설다.

❌ 이 김치 맛이 낯설어요. (Implies you've never tasted this type of kimchi.)
✅ 이 김치 맛이 이상해요. (Implies the kimchi has gone bad or tastes weird.)

Another common error is using 낯설다 when you actually mean 어색하다 (eosaek-hada). While both involve a lack of familiarity, 어색하다 refers to the 'awkwardness' or 'clumsiness' of a situation or person. If you are meeting someone for the first time, the situation is 어색하다 (awkward), but the person's face is 낯설다 (unfamiliar).

Mistake 2: Incorrect Noun Modification
Beginners often try to say '낯설은 사람' by adding '은' to the stem. However, because the stem ends in ㄹ, it follows special rules. The ㄹ drops before ㄴ, resulting in 낯선. Always remember: 낯선, not 낯설은.

Finally, avoid overusing 낯설다 for things that are simply 'new' (새롭다). 새롭다 has a positive, fresh connotation. 낯설다 is more about the psychological gap or the lack of recognition. A new phone is 새로운 핸드폰, but the operating system might feel 낯설다 if you've never used it before.

To truly master Korean, you need to know the 'neighbors' of 낯설다. There are several words that overlap in meaning but have specific nuances that change based on the register and context.

생소하다 (Saeng-so-hada)
This is a more formal, Sino-Korean (Hanja-based) equivalent. While 낯설다 is native Korean and feels more emotional or visual, 생소하다 is often used for technical terms, concepts, or information that is new to you. You would say a scientific theory is 생소하다 rather than 낯설다.
어색하다 (Eosaek-hada)
As mentioned before, this means 'awkward'. It describes the feeling of discomfort in a situation where you don't know how to act. If you wear a suit for the first time, it might feel 어색하다 (awkward/clumsy) on you, whereas the person in the mirror looks 낯설다 (unfamiliar).

비교:
1. 낯선 길 (An unfamiliar road - you don't recognize it.)
2. 생소한 단어 (An unfamiliar word - you haven't learned it.)
3. 어색한 사이 (An awkward relationship - you aren't close yet.)

Another interesting alternative is 서먹하다 (Seomeok-hada). This specifically refers to the awkward, 'unfamiliar' feeling between people who should be close but aren't, or who have just met. It's that chilly, distant feeling in a room when nobody knows what to say.

In summary, choose 낯설다 for visual or emotional unfamiliarity, 생소하다 for intellectual or formal unfamiliarity, and 어색하다 for situational awkwardness. By distinguishing these, you will express your feelings with much greater precision in Korean.

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مثال‌ها بر اساس سطح

1

이곳은 저에게 너무 낯설어요.

This place is very unfamiliar to me.

낯설어요 is the polite present tense.

2

낯선 사람을 조심하세요.

Be careful of strangers.

낯선 is the adjective form modifying '사람'.

3

한국 음식이 처음에는 낯설었어요.

Korean food was unfamiliar at first.

낯설었어요 is the polite past tense.

4

그의 얼굴이 낯설지 않아요.

His face is not unfamiliar (I recognize him).

-지 않다 is the negative form.

5

낯선 동네에 왔어요.

I came to an unfamiliar neighborhood.

동네 means neighborhood.

6

이 글자가 너무 낯설어요.

This character (letter) is very unfamiliar.

글자 means letter or character.

7

낯선 길로 가지 마세요.

Don't go by an unfamiliar road.

-지 마세요 is 'don't do'.

8

모든 것이 낯설고 신기해요.

Everything is unfamiliar and amazing.

-고 connects two adjectives.

1

새 학교가 아직은 조금 낯설어요.

The new school is still a bit unfamiliar.

아직은 means 'as for still'.

2

낯선 환경에서 일하는 것은 힘들어요.

Working in an unfamiliar environment is hard.

-는 것은 makes a verb into a noun phrase.

3

그녀는 낯선 사람에게 말을 잘 안 걸어요.

She doesn't usually talk to strangers.

말을 걸다 means 'to start a conversation'.

4

처음 보는 낯선 풍경이 아름다웠어요.

The unfamiliar scenery I saw for the first time was beautiful.

풍경 means scenery.

5

낯선 번호로 전화가 왔어요.

A call came from an unfamiliar number.

번호 means number.

6

이사한 지 얼마 안 돼서 집이 낯설어요.

It hasn't been long since I moved, so the house is unfamiliar.

-(으)ㄴ 지 얼마 안 되다 means 'not long since'.

7

낯선 도시에서 길을 잃었어요.

I got lost in an unfamiliar city.

길을 잃다 means 'to lose one's way'.

8

이 노래는 멜로디가 좀 낯설어요.

The melody of this song is a bit unfamiliar.

멜로디 means melody.

1

오랜만에 고향에 갔더니 모든 게 낯설게 느껴졌어요.

I went to my hometown after a long time, and everything felt unfamiliar.

-더니 indicates a result of an action.

2

그의 말투가 평소와 달라서 낯설었어요.

His way of speaking was different from usual, so it was unfamiliar.

말투 means way of speaking.

3

낯선 곳에서의 하룻밤은 긴장됐어요.

A night in an unfamiliar place was tense.

하룻밤 means one night.

4

새로운 문화가 낯설지만 흥미로워요.

The new culture is unfamiliar, but it is interesting.

-지만 means 'but'.

5

거울 속의 내 모습이 왠지 낯설어 보였다.

The reflection of myself in the mirror looked unfamiliar for some reason.

-어 보이다 means 'to look like'.

6

낯선 사람들의 시선이 부담스러워요.

The stares of strangers are burdensome.

시선 means gaze/stare.

7

외국 생활은 낯선 것투성이였어요.

Life abroad was full of unfamiliar things.

-투성이 means 'full of' (usually negative/messy).

8

낯선 기계의 사용법을 익히는 중이에요.

I am in the middle of learning how to use an unfamiliar machine.

-는 중이다 means 'in the middle of'.

1

아이가 유치원에 처음 가서 낯설어하는 것 같아요.

The child seems to be feeling uncomfortable because the kindergarten is new.

낯설어하다 is used for third-person feelings.

2

낯선 환경에 적응하는 데 시간이 필요해요.

Time is needed to adapt to an unfamiliar environment.

-는 데 means 'in the process of'.

3

작가의 낯선 문체가 독자들에게 신선한 충격을 주었다.

The author's unfamiliar writing style gave readers a fresh shock.

문체 means writing style.

4

낯선 이방인으로서의 삶을 소설로 썼습니다.

I wrote a novel about life as an unfamiliar stranger/alien.

이방인 means foreigner or stranger.

5

그의 갑작스러운 친절이 오히려 낯설게 느껴졌다.

His sudden kindness felt rather unfamiliar (suspicious).

오히려 means 'rather' or 'on the contrary'.

6

낯선 분야의 지식을 쌓는 것은 즐거운 일이다.

Building knowledge in an unfamiliar field is a joyful thing.

분야 means field or area.

7

낯선 천장을 바라보며 잠에서 깼다.

I woke up looking at an unfamiliar ceiling.

A common literary trope in Korean media.

8

낯선 이성에게 호감을 느끼는 과정은 복잡하다.

The process of feeling attraction toward an unfamiliar member of the opposite sex is complex.

이성 means opposite sex.

1

현대인들은 도시 속에서도 낯섦을 느끼며 살아간다.

Modern people live feeling unfamiliarity even within the city.

낯섦 is the noun form of 낯설다.

2

낯선 시각으로 사물을 바라보면 새로운 발견을 할 수 있다.

If you look at objects from an unfamiliar perspective, you can make new discoveries.

시각 means perspective or point of view.

3

그의 행동에서 낯선 기운이 느껴져서 경계하게 되었다.

I felt an unfamiliar vibe in his behavior, so I became wary.

기운 means vibe or energy.

4

예술의 목적 중 하나는 익숙한 것을 낯설게 만드는 것이다.

One of the purposes of art is to make familiar things feel unfamiliar.

Refers to the concept of defamiliarization.

5

낯선 기술의 도입은 사회적 혼란을 야기할 수 있다.

The introduction of unfamiliar technology can cause social confusion.

야기하다 means to cause or bring about.

6

낯선 이국 땅에서 뼈를 묻기로 결심했다.

I decided to be buried (spend the rest of my life) in an unfamiliar foreign land.

뼈를 묻다 is an idiom for staying somewhere until death.

7

낯선 감정이 밀려와서 한참을 멍하니 서 있었다.

An unfamiliar emotion washed over me, so I stood blankly for a while.

밀려오다 means to surge or wash over.

8

낯선 이와의 대화는 때로 의외의 위로를 주기도 한다.

A conversation with an unfamiliar person sometimes gives unexpected comfort.

의외의 means unexpected.

1

존재의 근원적 낯섦에 대한 철학적 고찰이 필요하다.

A philosophical consideration of the fundamental unfamiliarity of existence is necessary.

고찰 means consideration or study.

2

시인은 언어를 낯설게 하여 일상의 매너리즘을 타파한다.

The poet breaks the mannerism of daily life by making language unfamiliar.

타파하다 means to break down or overthrow.

3

낯선 타자성에 대한 포용은 성숙한 사회의 척도이다.

Embracing unfamiliar 'otherness' is a measure of a mature society.

타자성 means otherness.

4

낯설고 물설은 타향에서 그는 홀로 외로움을 견뎌냈다.

In a strange land where even the water felt unfamiliar, he endured loneliness alone.

낯설고 물설다 is a fixed idiom for a completely strange place.

5

낯선 신조어들이 범람하면서 세대 간의 소통이 단절되고 있다.

As unfamiliar neologisms overflow, communication between generations is being cut off.

범람하다 means to overflow.

6

자아의 낯선 이면을 마주하는 것은 공포스러운 경험일 수 있다.

Facing the unfamiliar side of one's ego can be a terrifying experience.

이면 means the 'other side' or 'hidden side'.

7

낯선 침입자에 의해 평온하던 마을의 질서가 깨졌다.

The order of the peaceful village was broken by an unfamiliar intruder.

침입자 means intruder.

8

낯선 감각의 전이는 예술적 영감의 원천이 되기도 한다.

The transfer of unfamiliar senses sometimes becomes a source of artistic inspiration.

전이 means transfer or transition.

ترکیب‌های رایج

낯선 사람
낯선 곳
낯선 환경
낯선 느낌
낯설게 느껴지다
낯선 땅
낯선 목소리
낯선 시선
낯선 향기
낯설기만 하다

عبارات رایج

낯선 사람

— A stranger. Literally an 'unfamiliar person'.

낯선 사람에게 문을 열어주지 마세요.

낯선 곳

— An unfamiliar place. Used often when traveling.

낯선 곳에서 길을 잃는 것도 여행의 묘미다.

낯을 가리다

— To be shy with strangers. Related to '낯'.

우리 아이는 낯을 많이 가려요.

낯선 천장

— An unfamiliar ceiling. A trope for waking up in a new place.

눈을 뜨니 낯선 천장이 보였다.

낯선 이방인

— An unfamiliar stranger/foreigner.

그는 이 도시의 낯선 이방인이었다.

낯선 길

— An unfamiliar road or path.

낯선 길을 걷다 보면 새로운 것을 발견한다.

낯선 환경에 던져지다

— To be thrown into an unfamiliar environment.

군대라는 낯선 환경에 던져졌다.

낯설게 하기

— Defamiliarization (artistic technique).

이 영화는 낯설게 하기 기법을 사용했다.

낯선 번호

— An unknown or unfamiliar phone number.

낯선 번호로 온 문자는 무시하세요.

낯선 분야

— An unfamiliar field or subject.

낯선 분야를 공부하는 것은 도전적이다.

اصطلاحات و عبارات

"낯설고 물설다"

— To be in a completely strange place where even the water tastes different.

낯설고 물설은 타국에서 고생이 많으시네요.

Literary/Formal
"낯선 사람 떡 주듯"

— To give something to someone reluctantly or without much thought (like giving rice cakes to a stranger).

그는 낯선 사람 떡 주듯 대충 대답했다.

Proverbial
"낯을 붉히다"

— To blush or turn re

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