Archive #4

Annyeong Daily #4: answers explained

October 8, 2026 · Today's five include a word for surprise, a K-pop term, a famous food pair, the place particle 에 (e), and a sound rule inside "thank you". Many Korean words are made by joining or shortening other words, and you will see that today.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #4

1Drama talk

Your friend tells you some surprising news. You answer '진짜?'. What did you say?

진짜? (jinjja?)

Liar!
Really? / Seriously?
Tell me later
Congratulations!

Answer: Really? / Seriously?

진짜 (jinjja) means "real" or "really". With a rising voice, 진짜? means "Really?" or "Seriously?" It shows surprise or interest. It is one of the most common words in spoken Korean. It is casual. To be polite, add 요: 진짜요? (jinjjayo?) Another word with the same meaning is 정말 (jeongmal). 정말 sounds a little softer and works better in polite or written Korean. Example: 이거 진짜 맛있어 (igeo jinjja masisseo) — "This is really tasty." Here 진짜 means "very". "Liar!" is too strong. Koreans say 진짜? to show interest, not to call the other person a liar.

Casual (반말) · Say it to: Friends and people you're close to

2K-pop

In K-pop, what is a '컴백'?

컴백 (keombaek)

A concert encore
A fan meeting
An artist releasing new music
An artist retiring

Answer: An artist releasing new music

컴백 (keombaek) comes from the English "comeback". In English, it means returning after a long time away. In K-pop, the meaning is different. Every time a group releases new music and starts promoting it, that is a 컴백. This can happen more than once a year. For a few weeks, the group appears on music shows and online. This period is called 활동 (hwaldong), "activity". Example: 다음 달에 컴백해요 (daeum dare keombaekaeyo) — "They're coming back next month." This is another Konglish word, an English word with a Korean meaning. An artist who retires is the opposite of a 컴백.

Say it to: Anyone — it's a plain noun; your verb sets the politeness

3Food

What is 치맥?

치맥 (chimaek)

Spicy noodles
Chicken soup
Fried chicken and beer
Kimchi and rice

Answer: Fried chicken and beer

치맥 (chimaek) means fried chicken with beer. It joins the first sounds of two words. 치 (chi) is from 치킨 (chikin), fried chicken. 맥 (maek) is from 맥주 (maekju), beer. Korean often makes short words like this. In Korean, 치킨 almost always means fried chicken, not chicken meat in general. The meat itself is 닭고기 (dakgogi). Chicken shops often deliver late at night. People enjoy 치맥 at home, in a riverside park, or while watching sports. Example: 오늘 치맥 어때? (oneul chimaek eottae?) — "How about chicken and beer tonight?" Note that 치 here does not come from 김치 (gimchi).

Say it to: Anyone — it's a common word, even in ads

4Grammar

Fill in the blank: 'I go to school.'

학교___ 가요. (hakgyo___ gayo.)

Answer: 에 — 학교에 가요.

학교에 가요 (hakgyoe gayo) means "I go to school." 에 (e) is a particle, a small word ending that shows the role of a word. With moving verbs like 가다 (gada), "to go", and 오다 (oda), "to come", 에 shows where you are going. It is like "to" in English. Example: 내일 서울에 가요 (naeil seoure gayo) — "I'm going to Seoul tomorrow." In everyday speech, people often drop 에 and say 학교 가요. 이 (i) marks the subject, 을 (eul) the object, and 과 (gwa) means "and". All three come only after a consonant, so none fit 학교.

5Hangul

How is this pronounced?

감사합니다 [감사함니다]

gamsahanida
gamsahapnida
kamsahamida
gamsahamnida

Answer: gamsahamnida

감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) means "Thank you" in the formal polite form. It is written 합니다, but it sounds like 함니다. This is a sound rule. When ㅂ at the end of a syllable meets ㄴ, the ㅂ changes to ㅁ. ㅁ and ㄴ are nasal sounds, sounds that go through the nose. The change makes the word easier to say. You will hear this rule in every formal ending -ㅂ니다 (-mnida). Example: 반갑습니다 (bangapseumnida) — "Nice to meet you." It sounds like 반갑씀니다. "gamsahapnida" follows the spelling, not the sound. "kamsahamida" uses k and drops the n sound.