소극적이다 (sogeukjeogida) means “to be passive” or “reserved” in Korean. It describes someone who is hesitant, avoids taking initiative, or prefers to stay in the background rather than actively engaging in situations.

Usage Examples:

그는 토론에서 소극적이다. → “He is passive in discussions.”
소극적인 태도는 기회를 놓칠 수 있다. → “A passive attitude can lead to missed opportunities.”
그녀는 처음에는 소극적이었지만 점점 적극적으로 변했다. → “She was passive at first, but gradually became more proactive.”

It is the opposite of 적극적이다 (jeokgeukjeogida), which means “to be proactive” or “assertive.”

소극적 = passive, reserved, reluctant, unassertive.
소극적인 is the adjective form, meaning “passive” or “reserved” in attitude, personality, or behavior.

It describes someone who avoids taking initiative, is hesitant, or doesn’t actively participate.

📝 Example Sentences

그는 성격이 소극적이라서 먼저 말을 잘 안 건다. → He has a passive personality, so he doesn’t usually start conversations.

회의에서 너무 소극적인 태도를 보였다. → He showed a very passive attitude in the meeting.

소극적인 참여로는 좋은 결과를 얻기 어렵다. → With passive participation, it’s hard to achieve good results.

그녀는 소극적인 성격 때문에 기회를 놓쳤다. → She missed the opportunity because of her passive personality.

💡 Common Expressions Related to 소극적인

소극적인 태도 → Passive attitude (Often used in workplaces or schools when someone doesn’t engage actively.)

소극적인 참여 → Passive participation (Used when someone joins but doesn’t contribute much.)

소극적인 성격 → Reserved personality (Describes someone shy or hesitant.)

소극적인 방어 (sports context) → Passive defense (When a team/player defends without much energy or initiative.)

⚡ Nuance

소극적인 is neutral to slightly negative — it doesn’t mean “bad,” but it implies lack of initiative or energy.
It’s often contrasted with 적극적인 (active, proactive).

Example:

소극적인 태도 vs 적극적인 태도 → Passive attitude vs proactive attitude.

“속상하다” (sok-sang-ha-da) means “to be upset” or “to feel distressed.” It describes a feeling of frustration, disappointment, or emotional pain.

Breaking It Down:
속 (sok) – Inside / Heart / Mind
상하다 (sang-ha-da) – To be hurt / To be damaged

Example Sentences:

시험 결과가 좋지 않아서 속상해요. (si-heom gyeol-gwa-ga jo-ji an-a-seo sok-sang-hae-yo.) – I’m upset because my test results weren’t good.
친구와 싸워서 속상해요. (chin-gu-wa ssa-wo-seo sok-sang-hae-yo.) – I feel distressed because I had a fight with my friend.
그 말을 들으니까 정말 속상해요. (geu mal-eul deu-reu-ni-kka jeong-mal sok-sang-hae-yo.) – I’m really hurt after hearing those words.
속상한 일이 많아서 기분이 좋지 않아요. (sok-sang-han il-i man-a-seo gi-bun-i jo-ji an-a-yo.) – I have a lot of upsetting things happening, so I’m not feeling great.
속상하지만 괜찮아질 거야. (sok-sang-ha-ji-man gwaen-chan-a-jil geo-ya.) – It’s upsetting, but things will get better.

This word is commonly used when expressing emotional distress or frustration.

속어 (sogeo) means “slang” or “colloquial language.” It refers to informal words or expressions that are commonly used in everyday speech but may not be appropriate in formal settings

Types of Slang in Korean:

속어 (Slang) → General informal language used by many people.

은어 (Eoneo) → Secret words or jargon used by specific groups.

비속어 (Bisogeo) → Vulgar or coarse language that lacks refinement.

For example, 꿀잼 (kkuljaem) is a popular slang term meaning “super fun” (literally “honey fun”).

see : Slang

The expression 속이 상하다 (sok-i sang-ha-da) means “to feel upset, distressed, or emotionally hurt.” It is often used when someone feels deeply hurt by words, actions, or difficult situations.

Example Sentences:

친구의 말 때문에 속이 상해요. (chin-gu-ui mal ttae-mun-e sok-i sang-hae-yo.) – I’m upset because of what my friend said.

속상한 일이 있어서 기분이 좋지 않아요. (sok-sang-han il-i it-seo-seo gi-bun-i jo-ji an-a-yo.) – Something upsetting happened, so I don’t feel good.

시험을 망쳐서 속이 상했어요. (si-heom-eul mang-chyeo-seo sok-i sang-haess-eo-yo.) – I messed up my exam, so I feel really upset.

속이 상할 때는 좋은 음악을 들으세요. (sok-i sang-hal ttae-neun jo-eun eum-ak-eul deu-reu-se-yo.) – When you’re upset, listen to good music.

속상한 일이 많지만 힘내세요! (sok-sang-han il-i man-ji-man him-nae-se-yo!) – There are many upsetting things, but stay strong!

The polite form of 속이 상하다 is 속이 상해요 (sok-i sang-hae-yo), and it is often used in everyday conversations when expressing emotional distress.

손을 드세요 means “Raise your hand.” It is a polite command often used in classrooms, meetings, or discussions to indicate that someone should lift their hand to ask a question or participate.

Breakdown:
손 (son) → “Hand”
을 (eul) → Object marker
드세요 (deuseyo) → “Please lift / raise” (polite form)

Examples:

In a classroom setting:
선생님: 질문이 있으면 손을 드세요!
Teacher: If you have a question, raise your hand!

In a meeting or discussion:
발언하고 싶다면 손을 드세요.
If you want to speak, raise your hand.

During an interactive session:
찬성하는 사람은 손을 드세요!
Those who agree, raise your hand!

The Korean word 수업 (su-eop) means “class” or “lesson.” It refers to an educational session, such as a school class or a lecture. For example:

• 수업을 듣다 (su-eo-beul deut-da) – To take a class.
• 수업이 끝났어요 (su-eo-bi kkeut-nass-eo-yo) – The class is finished.

It’s a commonly used term in schools and learning environments.

시작 (sijak) means “start” or “beginning.” It’s commonly used to indicate the start of an action, event, or process.

Examples:

시작하다 – “to start / begin”
공부를 시작하다. → “Start studying.”
새로운 프로젝트를 시작했어요. → “I started a new project.”

시작되다 – “to be started” (passive form)
회의가 시작됐어요. → “The meeting has started.”
영화가 몇 시에 시작돼요? → “What time does the movie start?”

좋은 시작 – “a good start”
오늘은 좋은 시작이야! → “Today is a good start!”