What it means
귀찮아요 expresses that something is a bother, hassle, or that you can't be bothered to do it. More passive than refusal — it's mild laziness or hassle-aversion.
Nuance & when to use
귀찮다 = to be bothersome/tedious. 귀찮아서 안 했어요 = I didn't do it because it was a hassle. 귀찮게 하지 마세요 = Don't bother me. 귀찮지만 해야 해요 = It's a bother but I have to do it. Very relatable — Koreans use this constantly for things that are annoying or energy-consuming.
⚠ Common mistake
귀찮다 ≠ 싫다. 귀찮다 = bothersome (mild, about effort). 싫다 = dislike (stronger aversion to the thing itself).
Example sentences
See also
FAQ
When is this used?
귀찮다 = to be bothersome/tedious. 귀찮아서 안 했어요 = I didn't do it because it was a hassle. 귀찮게 하지 마세요 = Don't bother me. 귀찮지만 해야 해요 = It's a bother but I have to do it. Very relatable — Koreans use this constantly for things that are annoying or energy-consuming.
What's a common mistake?
귀찮다 ≠ 싫다. 귀찮다 = bothersome (mild, about effort). 싫다 = dislike (stronger aversion to the thing itself).
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