기쁘다 (gippeuda)
"Happy / glad" — Korean's standard adjective for the feeling of joy, often paired with specific events.
- Meaning: "Happy / glad" — Korean's standard adjective for the feeling of joy, often paired with specific events.
- Pronunciation: /ki.p͈ɯ.da/ (gippeuda)
- Part of speech: adjective
- Formality: Neutral — works in most everyday settings.
- Literal: is happy / is glad
What does 기쁘다 mean?
기쁘다 (gippeuda) means "happy" or "glad" — the dictionary form for joy at a specific event. Like all Korean adjectives it conjugates like a verb: casual 기뻐 (gippeo), polite 기뻐요 (gippeoyo), formal 기쁩니다 (gippeumnida). For steady, long-term happiness Koreans switch to 행복하다 (haengbokhada).
기쁘다 (gippeuda) means "happy / glad / joyful" and emphasizes the feeling of joy at a specific event or moment. Casual 기뻐 (gippeo), polite 기뻐요 (gippeoyo), formal 기쁩니다 (gippeumnida). Korean differentiates kinds of happiness: 기쁘다 is celebratory joy ("I'm glad you came"); 행복하다 (haengbokhada) is the steadier, deeper "happy" of long-term wellbeing; 즐겁다 (jeulgeopda) is "fun / enjoyable" about an activity. K-drama and K-pop ballads use 기쁘다 in emotional reunion scenes — "너를 만나서 기뻐" ("I'm glad I met you"). Standard week-one Korean vocabulary.
Examples in context
By politeness level (반말 / 해요체 / formal)
One adjective across three registers.
Reacting to good news
The core sense — joy ABOUT something that just happened.
Celebrating an achievement
Passing, winning, graduating — event-driven joy.
Polite greetings ("glad to meet you")
만나서 기뻐(요) is the standard first-meeting line.
Intensifiers & collocations
진짜/너무/너무너무 amplify the joy.
기쁘다in K-pop & K-drama
Award-show acceptance speeches
When idols and actors win at year-end award shows, 너무 기뻐요 / 기쁩니다 ("I'm so happy / honored") is the go-to opening line — the heartfelt register for public joy and gratitude in front of fans.
기쁘다 구주 오셨네 (Joy to the World)
The English Christmas carol "Joy to the World" is known in Korea as 기쁘다 구주 오셨네 ("Joyful, the Savior has come") — for many Koreans the most familiar sentence beginning with 기쁘다, sung every December.
When to use 기쁘다
- Reacting to good news, achievements, reunions
- Expressing genuine joy about a specific event
- Polite greetings ("glad to meet you")
- Describing emotional moments
When NOT to use 기쁘다
- Long-term general happiness — use 행복하다 (haengbokhada)
- Fun activities — use 재미있다 (jaemiitda) or 즐겁다 (jeulgeopda)
- Subtle good moods — sounds too strong
기쁘다 vs. similar terms
기쁘다 vs the other Korean "happy / fun" words
| Term | English | Scope | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 기쁘다 (gippeuda) | glad / joyful | joy about a specific event | 합격해서 기뻐 (glad I passed) |
| 행복하다 (haengbokhada) | happy (content) | steady life satisfaction | 요즘 행복해 (I'm happy these days) |
| 즐겁다 (jeulgeopda) | enjoyable / fun | a pleasant experience | 여행이 즐거웠어 (the trip was fun) |
| 재미있다 (jaemiitda) | fun / interesting | an entertaining thing | 영화 재미있었어 (the movie was fun) |
Related terms
More in Emotions & states
Foundational emotion adjectives — sad, happy, angry, scared, embarrassed.
"Sad" or "to be sad" — Korean's standard adjective for sadness, sorrow, or melancholy.
"To be angry / to get angry" — Korean's standard expression for anger.
"Scary" or "scared" — Korean's versatile adjective for fear, used both for things that frighten and people who are frightened.
"Embarrassed / shy / ashamed" — covers both bashful blushing and serious shame depending on context.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "happy" in Korean?
기쁘다 (gippeuda) is the most common Korean word for "happy / glad." Casual 기뻐 (gippeo), polite 기뻐요 (gippeoyo), formal 기쁩니다 (gippeumnida). It emphasizes joy about a specific event. For long-term general happiness, Koreans say 행복하다 (haengbokhada).
What is the difference between 기쁘다 and 행복하다?
기쁘다 (gippeuda) is event-driven joy — happy ABOUT something specific (a reunion, a passing grade). 행복하다 (haengbokhada) is steady-state contentment — generally happy with life. "I'm happy you came" uses 기쁘다; "I'm happy with my life" uses 행복하다.
What does 만나서 기뻐요 mean?
만나서 기뻐요 (mannaseo gippeoyo) is the polite Korean phrase for "I'm glad to meet you." It is used at first meetings, often in formal/business introductions. The casual version is 만나서 기뻐 (mannaseo gippeo); the formal is 만나서 기쁩니다 (mannaseo gippeumnida).
What is the difference between 기쁘다 and 즐겁다?
기쁘다 (gippeuda) is inner joy — glad ABOUT something (good news, an achievement). 즐겁다 (jeulgeopda) is "fun / enjoyable" — the pleasant feeling DURING an activity. A passing grade makes you 기뻐; a fun trip is 즐거워. They are not interchangeable.
What is the opposite of 기쁘다?
The direct opposite is 슬프다 (seulpeuda, "sad"). 기쁘다 ↔ 슬프다 is the glad–sad pair Korean learners memorize together. For "angry" you would use a different word, 화나다 (hwanada).
How is 기쁘다 pronounced?
기쁘다 is pronounced [ki.p͈ɯ.da] — "gee-ppeu-da" with a tense doubled P in the middle (sharper and faster than English P). Three syllables, all light. The "eu" vowel is closer to a clipped "uh."
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.