What does 안녕 (annyeong) mean?
- 안녕annyeong
Hi / Bye
Casual: friends and people younger than you
안녕 (annyeong) means "hi" or "bye" in Korean. It is casual, so it is for friends, younger people and kids. With anyone else, use 안녕하세요.
Where it comes from
안녕 is a Sino-Korean word meaning peace or well-being. As a greeting it is like saying "be well."
How to use 안녕
The same word works for hello and goodbye. Context tells you which one.
Never use 안녕 with a stranger, a boss or an older person. It would sound rude. 안녕하세요 is the polite version.
For polite goodbyes, Korean uses two phrases: 안녕히 가세요 to someone leaving and 안녕히 계세요 to someone staying.
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Walking into a room of friends
Leaving a friend's place
Running into an old classmate
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | Hello (polite) | The standard polite greeting. |
| 안녕히 가세요 | Goodbye (to someone leaving) | Polite. |
| 안녕히 계세요 | Goodbye (to someone staying) | Polite; said when you are the one leaving. |
| 잘 가 | Bye, get home safe | Casual goodbye to someone leaving. |
Hear it in songs
Real lines from songs broken down on Hanbok. Open a song to see every line explained.
Questions learners ask
Can I say annyeong to a stranger?
It is better not to. 안녕 is casual; use 안녕하세요 with strangers and older people.
Does annyeong mean hello or goodbye?
Both. Friends use it when meeting and when parting.