🎵 K-Culture B2

공감

gonggam

Empathy / Resonance / To relate

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What it means

공감하다 means to empathize with or resonate with someone. 공감 as a noun is the feeling of empathy or being understood. Extremely common in everyday conversation and social media comments.

Nuance & when to use

댓글에 공감 (empathy in comments) = this really resonates. 공감이 안 된다 = I can't relate to that. Higher emotional register than 이해하다 (to understand intellectually).

⚠ Common mistake

Using 이해하다 when 공감하다 is more appropriate. 이해 is intellectual understanding; 공감 is emotional resonance.

Example sentences

그 이야기에 완전히 공감해요. Geu iyaggi-e wanjeonhi gonggamhaeyo. I completely relate to that story.
많은 사람들이 공감하는 내용이에요. Maneun saramdeuri gonggamhaneun naeyong-ieyo. It is content that many people resonate with.
공감 능력이 중요한 것 같아요. Gonggam neungnyogi jungyohan geot gatayo. I think the ability to empathize is important.

See also

이해하다 감정이입
References Naver Korean Dictionary ↗ 국립국어원 표준국어대사전 ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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More B2 lessons

여운 yeoun Lingering feeling / Aftertaste / Resonance -도록 -dorok So that / in order to 국뽕 gukppong Excessive Korean nationalism / K-pride overload
← 고성 국뽕 →

FAQ

When is this used?

댓글에 공감 (empathy in comments) = this really resonates. 공감이 안 된다 = I can't relate to that. Higher emotional register than 이해하다 (to understand intellectually).

What's a common mistake?

Using 이해하다 when 공감하다 is more appropriate. 이해 is intellectual understanding; 공감 is emotional resonance.

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