Meaning
A polite farewell greeting used when someone is going to sleep.
Cultural Background
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.
Meaning
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.
Test Yourself
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.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Korean Goodnight Hierarchy
Practice Bank
4 exercises할아버지, ________.
'안녕히 주무세요' is the correct honorific form for a grandfather.
안녕히 (____)세요.
The root is '주무-', which combines with '-세요' to form '주무세요'.
1. 잘 자 2. 안녕히 주무세요
'잘 자' is informal (Banmal) for friends; '안녕히 주무세요' is formal (Jondaemal) for teachers.
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.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsIf 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'.
Related Phrases
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
