What does 편하다 mean?

편하다 (pyeon-ha-da, pyeonhada)

편하다 (pyeonhada) is a common adjective describing physical or mental comfort and ease in daily life.

Meaning of the Korean word 편하다

Definition & nuance

Core meaning and shades learners miss.

편하다(pyeon-ha-da, pyeonhada)

편하다 means feeling comfortable, at ease, or not experiencing discomfort physically or mentally.

Nuances

  • Includes both physical and mental comfort.
  • Often used as the opposite of '불편하다' (uncomfortable).
  • Applicable to clothes, shoes, seating, mental state, and various situations.

When to use

daily conversation, health condition, clothes and shoes, living environment

In context

편하다 is an adjective used to describe the state of the subject, applicable to people or things, commonly used in everyday conversation.

Real-world examples

  • 이 신발은 정말 편해요.

    i sin-bal-eun jeong-mal pyeon-hae-yo., i sin bal eun jeong mal pyeon hae yo.

    Using '편하다' to describe the comfort of shoes is natural.

  • 마음이 편하다.

    ma-eum-i pyeon-ha-da., ma eum i pyeon ha da.

    ‘마음이 편하다’ correctly expresses mental comfort.

  • 이 자리는 편해요?

    i ja-ri-neun pyeon-hae-yo?, i ja ri neun pyeon hae yo?

    A natural question about the comfort of a seat.

  • 이 옷은 편하지 않아요.

    i os-eun pyeon-ha-ji an-a-yo., i os eun pyeon ha ji an a yo.

    Appropriate negative statement about clothes' comfort.

  • 편하다 신발 신었어요.

    pyeon-ha-da sin-bal sin-eoss-eo-yo., pyeon ha da sin bal sin eoss eo yo.

    The adjective '편하다' must be in attributive form '편한' before a noun.

  • 오늘 날씨가 편해요.

    o-neul nal-ssi-ga pyeon-hae-yo., o neul nal ssi ga pyeon hae yo.

    '편하다' is unnatural for weather; use '좋다' or '쾌적하다' instead.

Quick quiz

  1. What is the basic meaning of '편하다'?

    ‘편하다’의 기본 의미는 무엇인가요?(‘pyeon-ha-da’uigi-bonui-mi-neunmu-eos-in-ga-yo?, ‘pyeonhada’uigibonuimineunmueosingayo?)
  2. Which sentence uses '편하다' correctly?

    다음 중 ‘편하다’를 올바르게 사용한 문장은?(da-eumjung‘pyeon-ha-da’reulol-ba-reu-gesa-yong-hanmun-jang-eun?, daeumjung‘pyeonhada’reulolbareugesayonghanmunjangeun?)
  3. What state does ‘마음이 편하다’ describe?

    ‘마음이 편하다’는 어떤 상태를 나타내나요?(‘ma-eum-ipyeon-ha-da’neuneo-tteonsang-tae-reulna-ta-nae-na-yo?, ‘maeumipyeonhada’neuneotteonsangtaereulnatanaenayo?)

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