안녕히 주무세요
annyeonghi jumuseyo
Good night (formal)
Phrase in 30 Seconds
The standard polite way to wish an elder or superior a peaceful night's sleep in Korean.
- Means: 'Please sleep peacefully' (honorific form).
- Used in: Saying goodnight to parents, grandparents, or bosses.
- Don't confuse: Never use this with friends; it sounds overly stiff.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
A polite farewell greeting used when someone is going to sleep.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The 'Morning Inquiry' (Mun-an) is the counterpart to this phrase. In traditional families, children would go to their parents' room in the morning and ask '안녕히 주무셨어요?' (Did you sleep in peace?). The use of special verbs like '주무시다' (to sleep) and '드시다' (to eat) for elders is a direct reflection of Confucian values regarding age and social order. In KakaoTalk (Korean messaging app), people often use stickers of sleeping characters (like Ryan or Apeach) along with the text '안녕히 주무세요' to make the formal greeting feel warmer. In the military, soldiers must use the 'Danna-kka' style, so they would always say '안녕히 주무십시오' to their superiors, never '주무세요'.
The Bowing Rule
When saying this to a grandparent, a slight bow of the head makes it 100% more authentic and respectful.
Self-Honorifics
Never use '주무시다' to describe your own sleep. It's only for others.
मतलब
A polite farewell greeting used when someone is going to sleep.
The Bowing Rule
When saying this to a grandparent, a slight bow of the head makes it 100% more authentic and respectful.
Self-Honorifics
Never use '주무시다' to describe your own sleep. It's only for others.
Texting Nuance
In texts to elders, adding a '^^' or a moon emoji (🌙) is very common to show a friendly but respectful tone.
खुद को परखो
Choose the most appropriate phrase to say to your grandfather before he goes to bed.
할아버지, ________.
'안녕히 주무세요' is the correct honorific form for a grandfather.
Fill in the missing part of the honorific verb.
안녕히 (____)세요.
The root is '주무-', which combines with '-세요' to form '주무세요'.
Match the phrase to the person you are speaking to.
1. 잘 자 2. 안녕히 주무세요
'잘 자' is informal (Banmal) for friends; '안녕히 주무세요' is formal (Jondaemal) for teachers.
Complete the dialogue between a mother and a child.
Child: 엄마, 안녕히 주무세요. Mother: 그래, 우리 아들 (____).
A mother uses informal speech (Banmal) to her child, so '잘 자라' or '잘 자' is correct.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Korean Goodnight Hierarchy
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
5 सवालIf you have a very traditional/formal relationship, yes. But most modern siblings use '잘 자요' or '잘 자'.
No, '안녕히 주무십시오' is more formal, but '주무세요' is the most common for daily polite life.
It means 'peace' or 'tranquility'. It's the same 'Annyeong' as in 'Annyeong-haseyo'.
Yes, if you work in a hotel or a late-night service industry, it is very professional.
Because '자다' is a plain verb. You must use the honorific '주무시다' to match the formal '안녕히'.
संबंधित मुहावरे
잘 자
informalSleep well (informal)
안녕히 주무셨어요?
builds onDid you sleep well? (honorific)
좋은 꿈 꾸세요
similarSweet dreams
편안한 밤 되세요
similarHave a peaceful night
푹 자요
similarSleep deeply
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
At home with parents
Child: 엄마, 아빠, 안녕히 주무세요.
Parents: 그래, 너도 잘 자라.
Visiting Grandparents
Grandchild: 할머니, 안녕히 주무세요. 내일 봬요.
Grandmother: 오냐, 우리 강아지 잘 자거라.
Late night at the office
Junior: 부장님, 늦었는데 안녕히 주무세요.
Manager: 김 대리도 고생 많았어요. 잘 가요.
Hotel Check-out/Night Service
Staff: 편안한 밤 되십시오. 안녕히 주무세요.
Guest: 네, 감사합니다.
Homestay with a Korean family
Student: 아주머니, 오늘 저녁 맛있었어요. 안녕히 주무세요.
Host: 입에 맞았다니 다행이네. 잘 자요.
Leaving a late-night study group
Student: 선배님, 먼저 가보겠습니다. 안녕히 주무세요.
Senior: 그래, 조심히 들어가고 잘 자.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Annyeong' (Peace) + 'Jumu' (Jewel-like sleep) + 'Seyo' (Say-yo!). You are 'Saying' a 'Peaceful Jewel-like sleep' to someone you respect.
Visual Association
Imagine a young person bowing deeply to an elderly person sitting on a traditional Korean floor (Ondol), with a crescent moon visible through the window.
Rhyme
Annyeong-hi, sleep like a tree, respect for all to see!
Story
A traveler arrives at a mountain temple. To stay the night, they must show respect to the head monk. The traveler bows and says 'Annyeong-hi jumuseyo.' The monk, impressed by the traveler's knowledge of honorifics, grants them the best room.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Before you go to bed tonight, record yourself saying the phrase 5 times, focusing on the 'ju-mu-se-yo' melody. Try to say it as if you are speaking to a respected teacher.
In Other Languages
おやすみなさい (Oyasumi nasai)
Korean uses a completely different verb root (suppletive honorific) for elders, whereas Japanese uses a polite suffix.
晚安 (Wǎn'ān)
Chinese does not have a mandatory honorific verb for 'sleep' based on social hierarchy.
Buenas noches / Que descanse
Spanish usually focuses on 'Good night' as a plural noun, while Korean focuses on the act of sleeping peacefully.
Bonne nuit / Dormez bien
French doesn't have a specific 'honorific' word for sleep; it just uses the standard verb in a formal conjugation.
Gute Nacht / Schlafen Sie gut
German is much more direct and doesn't involve the concept of 'peace' (Annyeong) in the standard phrase.
تصبح على خير (Tisbah 'ala khair)
The focus is on the morning outcome rather than the nighttime process.
Goodnight / Sleep well
English uses the same phrase for a child and a boss, which is impossible in Korean.
Boa noite / Durma bem
Lacks the specific honorific vocabulary found in Korean.
Easily Confused
Both start with 'Annyeong-hi' and are used when leaving.
Use '주무세요' only if someone is going to bed; use '계세요' if you are leaving and they are staying (but not sleeping).
Learners often don't know which 'polite' form to use.
Use '주무세요' for parents/elders; use '잘 자요' for a date or a slightly younger colleague.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (5)
If you have a very traditional/formal relationship, yes. But most modern siblings use '잘 자요' or '잘 자'.
No, '안녕히 주무십시오' is more formal, but '주무세요' is the most common for daily polite life.
It means 'peace' or 'tranquility'. It's the same 'Annyeong' as in 'Annyeong-haseyo'.
Yes, if you work in a hotel or a late-night service industry, it is very professional.
Because '자다' is a plain verb. You must use the honorific '주무시다' to match the formal '안녕히'.
