A1 Expression 中性

아직 멀었어요.

ajik meoreosseoyo.

Still a long way to go.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this phrase to humbly admit that you have a long way to go before reaching a goal or finishing a task.

  • Means: Something is far from being finished or perfected.
  • Used in: Responding to compliments or assessing project progress.
  • Don't confuse: It is not used for physical distance, only progress.
Long road icon + Person walking = Humble progress

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'not yet' or 'far to go'. Use it when you are not finished with work or when someone says you are good at something.
It is a common expression used to show modesty. When someone praises your Korean, you say this to show you are still learning and have more to improve.
This phrase functions as a social buffer. It bridges the gap between receiving praise and maintaining a humble self-image, while also serving as a factual statement about project status.
The phrase is deeply rooted in the cultural expectation of '겸손' (humility). It serves as a pragmatic marker that signals the speaker's awareness of the distance between their current state and an idealized level of proficiency.
Linguistically, it utilizes the spatial metaphor of distance to quantify abstract progress. It is a quintessential example of how Korean pragmatics prioritize social face-saving over direct affirmation, functioning as a conventionalized response to positive feedback.
The phrase exemplifies the cognitive mapping of time and effort onto physical space. By invoking the 'distance' schema, the speaker performs a complex social act of self-effacement, effectively neutralizing the potential for perceived hubris in a hierarchical society.

意思

Used to indicate that something is not yet complete or near.

🌍

文化背景

Modesty is a core value. Accepting praise directly is often seen as arrogant. In professional settings, it is used to show that you are still working hard and not complacent. Teachers often use it to encourage students to keep striving for excellence.

🎯

Use it for compliments

Whenever a Korean person compliments you, use this phrase. It will immediately make you sound more culturally aware.

💬

Don't be too modest

If you use this phrase too much, people might think you are fishing for more compliments. Use it once and then say 'Thank you'.

意思

Used to indicate that something is not yet complete or near.

🎯

Use it for compliments

Whenever a Korean person compliments you, use this phrase. It will immediately make you sound more culturally aware.

💬

Don't be too modest

If you use this phrase too much, people might think you are fishing for more compliments. Use it once and then say 'Thank you'.

自我测试

Choose the most polite response to a compliment.

Someone says: 'You are so good at Korean!'

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 아니에요, 아직 멀었어요.

This is the standard, polite, and humble way to respond.

Complete the sentence.

프로젝트가 끝나려면 ____ 멀었어요.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 아직

'아직' (still) is the required adverb for this phrase.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 요리 실력이 대단해요! B: ____.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 아직 멀었어요.

This is the most natural humble response.

Match the register.

Match the form to the register.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 아직 멀었습니다 (Formal), 아직 멀었어요 (Neutral), 아직 멀었어 (Informal)

Correct usage depends on the social hierarchy.

🎉 得分： /4

视觉学习工具

常见问题

8 个问题

No, use '멀리 있어요' for physical distance.

No, it is polite as long as you use the '습니다' ending.

It is a cultural habit of humility.

Yes, it means you have a long way to go to the finish line.

'안 됐어요' means it hasn't happened yet, '멀었어요' means it is far from completion.

Use '아직 멀었습니다'.

Yes, use '아직 멀었어'.

Not necessarily, it just means you are not finished.

相关表达

🔄

갈 길이 멀다

synonym

The road to go is long.

🔗

더 노력해야 해요

builds on

I must try harder.

🔄

아직 부족해요

synonym

I am still lacking.

在哪里用

😊

Receiving a compliment

A: 한국어 정말 잘하시네요!

B: 아니에요, 아직 멀었어요.

neutral
💼

Work progress

Boss: 보고서 다 끝났나요?

Employee: 아직 멀었습니다.

formal
🎹

Learning a skill

Friend: 너 피아노 진짜 잘 친다!

You: 아직 멀었어.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a long road (멀다) that you are still (아직) walking on.

Visual Association

Picture yourself at the start of a marathon. You look at the finish line, which is tiny in the distance. You say, '아직 멀었어요!'

Rhyme

아직 멀었어요, 갈 길이 멀었어요.

Story

Min-su is learning to play the piano. His teacher says, 'You played that well!' Min-su smiles and says, '아직 멀었어요.' He knows he needs to practice for years to be a master.

Word Web

아직 (still)멀다 (to be far)노력 (effort)부족하다 (to be lacking)시작 (start)

挑战

For one day, whenever someone compliments you, respond with '아직 멀었어요' instead of 'Thank you'.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Me falta mucho.

Spanish focuses on what is missing, while Korean focuses on the distance.

French moderate

Il me reste encore beaucoup à faire.

Korean is more concise and idiomatic.

German high

Da ist noch ein weiter Weg.

German is often used for literal journeys, while Korean is heavily used for social modesty.

Japanese high

まだまだです (Madada desu).

Japanese focuses on the 'still' aspect, Korean on the 'distance' aspect.

Arabic moderate

أمامنا طريق طويل.

Arabic is often used for collective goals, while Korean is often individual.

Easily Confused

아직 멀었어요. 对比 아직 안 했어요

Learners think it means the same as '아직 멀었어요'.

'아직 안 했어요' means 'I haven't done it yet', while '아직 멀었어요' means 'I am not near completion'.

아직 멀었어요. 对比 멀리 있어요

Learners confuse the adjective '멀다' with the location phrase.

'멀리 있어요' is for physical location, '아직 멀었어요' is for progress.

아직 멀었어요. 对比 아직 멀었네요

Learners use '네요' when they should use '어요'.

'네요' implies surprise or discovery, '어요' is a neutral statement.

常见问题 (8)

No, use '멀리 있어요' for physical distance.

No, it is polite as long as you use the '습니다' ending.

It is a cultural habit of humility.

Yes, it means you have a long way to go to the finish line.

'안 됐어요' means it hasn't happened yet, '멀었어요' means it is far from completion.

Use '아직 멀었습니다'.

Yes, use '아직 멀었어'.

Not necessarily, it just means you are not finished.

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