뜻
Expressing that something is not particularly good or satisfactory.
문화적 배경
Koreans often use '별로' to avoid saying 'No' directly. If you ask someone if they like a gift and they say '별로...', they are trying to be as polite as possible while telling you they don't like it. In a Korean company, if a boss says a proposal is '별로 안 좋네요', it is actually a very strong criticism. Subordinates must read between the lines. When eating at someone's house, avoid saying '별로 안 좋아요' about the food. It is considered rude to the host. Use it only in commercial restaurants or with very close friends. Younger people use '별루' (Byeol-lu) as a cute way to complain. It's very common in KakaoTalk chats.
The 'Trailing' 별로
In casual speech, you can just say '별로...' and trail off. The listener will immediately know you don't like it without you having to say '안 좋아요'.
Don't use with 'Very'
Avoid saying '매우 별로 안 좋아요'. It sounds redundant and unnatural. Just '별로 안 좋아요' is enough.
뜻
Expressing that something is not particularly good or satisfactory.
The 'Trailing' 별로
In casual speech, you can just say '별로...' and trail off. The listener will immediately know you don't like it without you having to say '안 좋아요'.
Don't use with 'Very'
Avoid saying '매우 별로 안 좋아요'. It sounds redundant and unnatural. Just '별로 안 좋아요' is enough.
Softening Criticism
If you must criticize someone's work, start with a compliment and then use '별로 안 좋아요' for the specific part you dislike.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the blank with the correct word to say 'The movie wasn't that great.'
영화가 ___ 안 좋았어요.
'별로' is the only word here that naturally pairs with '안' to mean 'not particularly'.
Which sentence is grammatically CORRECT?
Choose one:
'별로' must be followed by a negative like '안'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 오늘 컨디션 어때요? B: 어제 잠을 못 자서 ___.
Since the speaker couldn't sleep, their condition is likely 'not great'.
Match the situation to the best use of '별로 안 좋아요'.
You are at a cafe and the coffee is too bitter.
This is the most natural way to express mild dissatisfaction.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Intensity of Negation
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제영화가 ___ 안 좋았어요.
'별로' is the only word here that naturally pairs with '안' to mean 'not particularly'.
Choose one:
'별로' must be followed by a negative like '안'.
A: 오늘 컨디션 어때요? B: 어제 잠을 못 자서 ___.
Since the speaker couldn't sleep, their condition is likely 'not great'.
You are at a cafe and the coffee is too bitter.
This is the most natural way to express mild dissatisfaction.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
14 질문No, this is a common mistake. '별로' must always be followed by a negative like '안' or '-지 않다'.
Not necessarily. It is actually more polite than saying '나빠요' (it's bad). However, saying it about someone's effort can still be hurtful.
'별로' is common in speech, while '그다지' is more formal and common in writing.
Yes, but be careful. '그 사람은 별로 안 좋아요' means 'That person is not a good person' or 'I don't like that person'. It's quite a strong statement.
You can say '괜찮아요' (Gwaenchannayo).
It's a slang/cute variation of '별로'. Use it only with close friends or in texting.
Yes, '별로 안 싫어요' means 'I don't particularly hate it'.
It's a shorter way to say 'It's not that good' or 'It's meh'.
Yes, it's very common to say '날씨가 별로 안 좋아요'.
It means 'not good', which is a softer way of saying 'bad'.
Yes, to describe a situation or a result, but use the formal '별로 좋지 않습니다'.
Yes, but they may have different slang variations.
Yes, it's the standard way to say food is mediocre.
The opposite would be '정말 좋아요' (It's really good) or '아주 좋아요'.
관련 표현
그저 그래요
similarIt's just so-so.
별로예요
synonymIt's meh / It's not good.
그다지 좋지 않아요
similarIt's not particularly good.
나빠요
contrastIt's bad.
별반 다르지 않아요
builds onIt's not much different.
