[Korean Culture & Language] Suppress, Endure, Bear

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Living in a Confucianism-influenced culture, Koreans are encouraged to repress rather than express their feelings. You’ve undoubtedly heard people say ‘네가 참아’. If directly translated, it means ‘Suppress your emotions,’ or ‘hold back your anger’. It usually means ‘That’s enough,’ ‘Calm down,’ or ‘forget it’.



The word ‘참아’ can mean many things like ‘suppress,’ ‘hold back,’ ‘bear,’ ‘stand,’ ‘endure,’ etc.

Ex) 윗 층 시끄러운거 더 이상 못 참겠어. 오늘은 말 해야겠다.
I can’t bear all this noise coming from upstairs. I’m going to tell them today.

Ex) 화를 너무 참는 것 도 건강에 좋지 않아. 어떻게든 해소 하도록 해봐.
It’s unhealthy to suppress or ignore your anger. You have to let it out somehow.

Ex) 어제 저녁에 존이 헤어지자고 했어. 눈물이 났는데 겨우 참았어.
John asked me to break up last night. It was so hard to hold back my tears.

Ex) 안 웃긴 척 했지만, 너무 웃겨서 겨우 참았어.
I acted as if it wasn’t funny, but I actually couldn’t hold back my laughter.

Ex) 우리가 어두운 시기를 참고 견딜 수 있도록 도와주는 것은 믿음 뿐이다.
Faith is the only thing that helps us endure dark times.

Ex) 내가 흡연자를 싫어하는 것은 아닌데, 비흡연자나 어린아이가 옆에 있을 때 담배를 피는 것은 못 참겠어.

I don’t hate smokers. It’s just that I can’t stand them smoking around kids or non-smokers.

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