Nuance Dictionary / Culture & Language
칭찬 ching-chan
Praise, compliment, or flattering words expected in social rituals
What does 칭찬 mean?
칭찬 (ching-chan) means: Praise, compliment, or flattering words expected in social rituals.
In many Western contexts, compliments are rare and precious; in Korean social grease, offering immediate positive reinforcement to a leading question is a baseline duty of friendship and solidarity.
🔊 From the story above
답정너 — dab-jeong-neo
불안 — bul-an
칭찬 — ching-chan
지난주보다 조금 늘어난 것 같긴 해 — "Hmm, it does look like you gained a little bit since last week."
비싸기도 하고 너한테 안 어울려 — "Yeah, it's kind of expensive and doesn't really suit you."
동의 — dong-ui
답은 정해져 있고 너는 대답만 하면 돼 — listen & repeat
나 오늘 머리 좀 이상하지 — listen & repeat
How it's actually used
- 팀장님이 오늘 입은 옷 예쁘다고 칭찬해 주셨어.
timjangnini oneul ibun ot yeppeudago chinchanhaejusyeosseo.
My team leader complimented the clothes I wore today.
💡 Use when sharing work-related positive feedback with a friend. - 아이한테는 작은 일에도 아낌없이 칭찬을 해 주는 게 좋아.
aihanteneun jageun ildo akimeopsi chinchaneul hae juneun ge joa.
It is good to shower children with praise even for small things.
💡 Used when giving parenting advice. - 에이, 뭘 그런 걸 가지고 그러세요. 칭찬이 너무 과하시네요.
ei, mwol geureon geol gajigo geureoseyo. chinchani neomu gwahasineyo.
Oh, come on, don't mention it. You're giving me too much praise.
💡 Used for polite deflection of a compliment.
Related words in Culture & Language
불안 bul-an동의 dong-ui미안하다 mi-an-ha-da죄송하다 joe-song-ha-da괜찮다 gwaen-chan-ta