Korean · Reactions & Noises
어머나
eomeona
UH-muh-nah · /ʌ.mʌ.na/
Oh my goodness! — the gasp, feminine-coded and fully wholesome.
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"(gasp) oh my!"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The hand-to-mouth gasp in word form. 어머나 (or just 어머, or doubled 어머어머) is startled delight or shock — the surprise gift, the juicy gossip, the near-miss on the sidewalk. It's strongly feminine-coded; men saying it usually do so for comic effect. Completely Grandma-safe — it's practically her signature move, often with a hand clap. The male-neutral equivalents are 어 (uh) and 우와 (wow). A beloved trot song runs on it, which is exactly the energy: warm, theatrical, wholesome.
Heard in the wild
어머나, 이걸 나 주려고 샀어?
Oh my goodness, you bought this for me?
Where it lands
South Korea (universal); feminine-coded
Quick answers
- What does "어머나" mean?
- In Korean, "어머나" means "Oh my goodness! — the gasp, feminine-coded and fully wholesome.". Literally it's "(gasp) oh my!". The hand-to-mouth gasp in word form. 어머나 (or just 어머, or doubled 어머어머) is startled delight or shock — the surprise gift, the juicy gossip, the near-miss on the sidewalk. It's strongly feminine-coded; men saying it usually do so for comic effect. Completely Grandma-safe — it's practically her signature move, often with a hand clap. The male-neutral equivalents are 어 (uh) and 우와 (wow). A beloved trot song runs on it, which is exactly the energy: warm, theatrical, wholesome.
- Is "어머나" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "어머나"?
- Say it "UH-muh-nah" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ʌ.mʌ.na.
Related in Korean
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