📖 Words B1

열정

yeojeong

passion / enthusiasm

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What it means

열정 means passion, enthusiasm, or burning drive. 열정적이다 = to be passionate. 열정을 가지다 = to have passion. A motivational word heavily used in Korean educational, sports, and K-pop contexts.

Nuance & when to use

열정이 있다 = to have passion. 열정을 다하다 = to give all your passion. 열정 만수르 = someone with abundant passion (internet slang). K-pop training culture emphasizes 열정 — trainees train for years driven by 열정. 노력 (effort) + 열정 (passion) = the recipe for success in Korean achievement culture.

⚠ Common mistake

열정 ≠ 감정 (feeling/emotion). 열정 is specifically about passionate drive toward a goal.

Example sentences

열정을 가지고 해요. Yeoljeong-eul gajigo haeyo. Do it with passion.
열정적인 사람이에요. Yeoljeongjeok-in sarami eyeyo. They are a passionate person.
열정 없이는 성공할 수 없어요. Yeojeong eopsinneun seonggonghal su eopseoyo. You can't succeed without passion.

See also

꿈 노력 목표
References Naver Korean Dictionary ↗ 국립국어원 표준국어대사전 ↗

More B1 lessons

모습 moseup appearance / look / figure / side of someone 참다 chamda to endure / to hold back / to suppress 분위기 bunwigi atmosphere / vibe / mood of a place
← 어쩔 수 없어 인생 →

FAQ

When is this used?

열정이 있다 = to have passion. 열정을 다하다 = to give all your passion. 열정 만수르 = someone with abundant passion (internet slang). K-pop training culture emphasizes 열정 — trainees train for years driven by 열정. 노력 (effort) + 열정 (passion) = the recipe for success in Korean achievement culture.

What's a common mistake?

열정 ≠ 감정 (feeling/emotion). 열정 is specifically about passionate drive toward a goal.

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