What does 천만에요 (cheonmaneyo) mean?
- 천만에요cheonmaneyo
You're welcome / Not at all
Polite: safe with most people
천만에요 (cheonmaneyo) means "You're welcome" or "Not at all" in polite Korean. It is the answer most textbooks teach after someone says thank you.
Where it comes from
천만 means "ten million", and 천만에 is an old expression meaning "far from it" or "not at all". So the idea is "it was nothing at all".
How to use 천만에요
천만에요 is correct and polite, but in daily life it can sound a little textbook-like or formal. Many Koreans reply to thanks with 아니에요 (not at all), 별말씀을요 (don't mention it), or a simple smile and 네.
Among friends, people usually say 뭘 or 아니야 instead. 천만에 on its own exists but is rare in casual talk.
It is still a perfectly safe phrase for learners. Nobody will find it rude, and it works well in shops, classes and with people you have just met.
Examples
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Someone thanks you for holding the door
A classmate thanks you for your notes
A neighbor thanks you for helping
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 아니에요 | Not at all | The most common everyday reply to thanks. |
| 별말씀을요 | Don't mention it | Polite and humble. |
| 뭘요 | Oh, it was nothing | Friendly polite reply. |
| 천만에 | Not at all | Casual, but rarely used. |
Questions learners ask
How do you say you're welcome in Korean?
천만에요 is the textbook answer. In real conversations, 아니에요 and 별말씀을요 are very common too.
Do Koreans actually say cheonmaneyo?
Yes, but less often than textbooks suggest. It can sound slightly formal, so many people say 아니에요 instead.
What does cheonman mean?
천만 means ten million. 천만에 is an old expression meaning "not at all" or "far from it".