A2 phrase Neutre #2,500 le plus courant 3 min de lecture

눈물이 나다

nunmuri nada [nu.nuɾi na.da]
Practice it

Overview

The Korean phrase '눈물이 나다' (nunmuri nada) is a common and evocative expression that directly translates to 'tears come out' or 'tears emerge.' It's used to describe the act of crying or shedding tears, and it carries a nuanced meaning that's important to understand for accurate communication in Korean. Unlike a simple verb like '울다' (ulda), which means 'to cry,' '눈물이 나다' emphasizes the occurrence or onset of tears, often implying an involuntary or emotionally driven response.

Let's break down the components:

  • 눈물 (nunmul): This noun specifically means 'tear' or 'tears.' It's a compound word formed from 눈 (nun, 'eye') and 물 (mul, 'water'), literally 'eye water.'
  • 이/가 (i/ga): This is a subject particle. In this case, '눈물' is the subject of the verb '나다,' indicating that the tears themselves are performing the action.
  • 나다 (nada): This verb has a wide range of meanings, but in this context, it signifies 'to come out,' 'to emerge,' 'to appear,' or 'to happen.' When combined with '눈물,' it specifically denotes the act of tears being produced and flowing.

The phrase '눈물이 나다' is typically used when someone starts to cry due to an emotional trigger. It can express a variety of feelings, including sadness, pain, joy, frustration, or even overwhelming emotion. For example:

  • 슬퍼서 눈물이 났어요. (Seulpeoseo nunmuri nasseoyo.) - I shed tears because I was sad. / Tears came to my eyes because I was sad.
  • 너무 감동해서 눈물이 났어요. (Neomu gamdonghaeseo nunmuri nasseoyo.) - I was so moved that I shed tears. / Tears came to my eyes because I was so touched.
  • 아파서 눈물이 났어요. (Apaseo nunmuri nasseoyo.) - I shed tears because I was in pain. / Tears came to my eyes because it hurt.

While '울다' (ulda) can be used more generally for crying, '눈물이 나다' often feels more descriptive of the physical manifestation of crying—the actual production and flow of tears. It can also imply a more internal or deeply felt emotional response. For instance, you might say '아이들이 울고 있어요' (Aideuri ulgo isseoyo - The children are crying) to describe a general state of crying, but '아이 눈물이 났어요' (Ai nunmuri nasseoyo - The child shed tears) might be used if you're focusing on the moment tears began to stream down their face due to a specific event.

Understanding the nuances between '울다' and '눈물이 나다' is key to expressing yourself naturally in Korean. While both relate to crying, '눈물이 나다' emphasizes the spontaneous emergence of tears as a direct emotional or physical reaction.

Exemples

1

그녀는 기쁨의 눈물이 났다.

기쁨의 눈물이 나다 (shed tears of joy)

She shed tears of joy.

2

슬픈 영화를 보고 눈물이 났어요.

슬픈 영화를 보고 (after watching a sad movie)

I cried after watching a sad movie.

3

양파를 썰었더니 눈물이 났다.

양파를 썰었더니 (because I cut an onion)

I shed tears because I cut an onion.

4

너무 감격해서 눈물이 터져 나왔다.

감격해서 눈물이 터져 나오다 (to burst into tears from being moved)

I was so moved that I burst into tears.

5

그 소식을 듣고 저절로 눈물이 흘렀다.

저절로 눈물이 흐르다 (tears flow naturally)

When I heard the news, tears flowed naturally.

Collocations courantes

슬픔에 눈물이 나다
감격해서 눈물이 나다
기뻐서 눈물이 나다
억울해서 눈물이 나다

Souvent confondu avec

눈물이 나다 vs 울다

While both mean 'to cry', '울다' focuses on the act of crying itself, often implying making a sound, whereas '눈물이 나다' specifically describes the physical act of tears flowing, and can be used even when crying silently.

눈물이 나다 vs 눈물을 흘리다

Both phrases mean 'to shed tears'. '눈물이 나다' is slightly more natural and common for a spontaneous or emotional shedding of tears. '눈물을 흘리다' can also be used for a more deliberate or prolonged act of crying, or sometimes in a more literary context.

Modèles grammaticaux

~(으)면 눈물이 나다 (If... then tears flow/I cry) ~해서 눈물이 나다 (Tears flow/I cry because...) ~더니 눈물이 나다 (After... then tears flowed/I cried)

How to Use It

Notes d'usage

'눈물이 나다' is a common and natural way to express that one is shedding tears or crying. It literally translates to 'tears come out' or 'tears flow.' This phrase is used when tears are an involuntary reaction to a situation or emotion. For example, '슬퍼서 눈물이 났다' (Seulpeoseo nunmuri natda) means 'I cried because I was sad.' It can be used for both literal tears and, less commonly, metaphorically to describe an overwhelming feeling that brings one close to tears. It's often used in conjunction with adverbs that describe the intensity or reason for the tears, such as '갑자기 눈물이 났다' (gabjagi nunmuri natda - 'tears suddenly came out') or '너무 감동해서 눈물이 났다' (neomu gamdonghaeseo nunmuri natda - 'I was so moved that tears came out'). It's different from '울다' (ulda), which is the verb 'to cry' and can imply a more active or intentional act of crying or wailing.

Erreurs courantes

A common mistake is confusing '눈물이 나다' (to shed tears naturally, often due to sadness or emotion) with '울다' (to cry, which can be a more active or intentional act of weeping). While both relate to crying, '눈물이 나다' emphasizes the spontaneous flowing of tears. Another potential mistake is misusing particles. The '이' particle after '눈물' is crucial here, indicating that '눈물' is the subject that is '나다' (coming out/flowing). Without '이' or with a different particle, the meaning would be incorrect or unclear. Also, beginners might try to conjugate '나다' incorrectly, but in this common expression, it almost always appears in its basic form or simple conjugations like '나요' (present polite) or '났어요' (past polite). Remember that '나다' has many meanings, so understanding the context of '눈물' is key to interpreting it correctly in this phrase.

Tips

💡

Usage Tips

'눈물이 나다' is a common expression used to describe the act of shedding tears or crying. It can be used in various contexts, from expressing sadness or grief to conveying overwhelming joy or emotion. For example, '영화를 보고 눈물이 났다' means 'I shed tears after watching the movie.' You can also use it to describe a situation where someone is moved to tears, such as '감동적인 이야기에 눈물이 났다' meaning 'I was moved to tears by the touching story.'

💡

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is to confuse '눈물이 나다' with '울다' (to cry). While both relate to crying, '눈물이 나다' specifically emphasizes the tears flowing, often implying a spontaneous or involuntary reaction, whereas '울다' is a more general term for the act of crying. Another mistake is to use it in situations where tears are not actually present, for instance, to express emotional pain without the physical manifestation of tears. '눈물이 나다' literally means tears are coming out, so it should be used when tears are actually shed.

💡

Pro-Tips

To sound more natural, you can combine '눈물이 나다' with adverbs or conjunctions to add nuance. For instance, '왈칵 눈물이 나다' (to burst into tears) or '결국 눈물이 나고 말았다' (tears eventually came out). You can also use it in more figurative ways, like '가슴이 아파서 눈물이 났다' (my heart ached so much that tears came out), to express deep emotional pain. For advanced learners, consider using variations like '눈시울이 붉어지다' (eyes well up with tears) to describe the precursor to crying, or '눈물을 훔치다' (to wipe away tears) to describe the action of discreetly crying.

Origine du mot

The word '눈물' (nunmul) is a compound of '눈' (nun), meaning 'eye', and '물' (mul), meaning 'water'. The verb '나다' (nada) means 'to come out', 'to emerge', or 'to happen'. Therefore, '눈물이 나다' literally translates to 'eye water comes out', which naturally conveys the meaning of shedding tears or crying. This etymology highlights the descriptive nature of the Korean language, combining basic elements to form more complex meanings. The term has been in use for a considerable period, reflecting a fundamental human experience of emotional expression. Its structure is quite transparent, making its meaning readily understandable to native speakers.

Contexte culturel

In Korean culture, expressing emotions like sadness and crying is generally accepted and understood as a natural human response. '눈물이 나다' (nunmuri nada) specifically denotes the involuntary act of tears flowing, often due to strong emotions like sadness, grief, pain, or even extreme joy or relief. While public displays of overwhelming emotion might be more reserved in certain formal settings, it's not uncommon to see people shed tears during emotionally charged events, such as funerals, family reunions after a long separation, or even while watching a particularly moving drama. There isn't a strong stigma against crying, especially in private or amongst close company, and it's often seen as a way to release pent-up feelings. The phrase itself is quite direct and focuses on the physical manifestation of emotion rather than the act of intentionally crying.

Astuce mémo

Visualize a 'noon' (눈 - eye) with tears ('mul' 물 - water) flowing out naturally ('nada' 나다 - to come out/flow). So, 'noon-mul-i nada' is 'eye-water-comes out,' directly translating to 'tears flow.'

Questions fréquentes

4 questions

'눈물이 나다' (nunmuri nada) is a Korean expression that literally translates to 'tears come out' or 'tears emerge.' It is used to describe the act of shedding tears, crying, or having tears flow. This phrase encompasses the physical manifestation of tears, often in response to strong emotions such as sadness, joy, pain, or even extreme laughter. It's a natural and common way to express the experience of crying in Korean, regardless of the underlying reason.

'눈물이 나다' is commonly used with a subject indicating who is crying. For example, '나는 눈물이 났다' (naneun nunmuri natda) means 'I shed tears' or 'I cried.' You might also hear it in contexts describing how an event or situation caused someone to cry, such as '슬픈 영화를 보고 눈물이 났어요' (seulpeun yeonghwa-reul bogo nunmuri nasseoyo), which translates to 'I shed tears after watching a sad movie.' It's a versatile phrase that fits various emotional scenarios.

Yes, while '눈물이 나다' is very common, other phrases convey similar meanings with slight nuances. For instance, '울다' (ulda) is a more general verb for 'to cry,' and it focuses directly on the action of crying itself. '흐느끼다' (heuneukkida) describes 'to sob,' suggesting a more intense and often audible form of crying. '통곡하다' (tonggokhada) means 'to wail' or 'to lament,' implying deep and often uncontrolled grief. Each phrase offers a slightly different shade of meaning to the act of crying.

'눈물이 나다' can be used in a wide range of emotional situations. For instance, when describing feeling overwhelmed by sadness or grief, one might say '너무 슬퍼서 눈물이 났어요' (neomu seulpeoseo nunmuri nasseoyo), meaning 'I was so sad that I shed tears.' It can also express tears of joy, such as '너무 기뻐서 눈물이 났어요' (neomu gippeoseo nunmuri nasseoyo), 'I was so happy that I shed tears.' Even in situations of intense pain or profound emotion, this phrase is apt for describing the natural outflow of tears.

Teste-toi

fill blank

그 소식에 그녀는 ____.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :
fill blank

아이가 넘어져서 ____.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :
fill blank

너무 감동해서 ____.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :

Score : /3

Related Content

C'tait utile ?

Commentaires (0)

Connectez-vous pour Commenter
Pas encore de commentaires. Soyez le premier à partager vos idées !