What does 정신 차려 (jeongsin charyeo) mean?
- 정신 차려jeongsin charyeo
Get it together! / Snap out of it!
Casual: friends and people younger than you
정신 차려 (jeongsin charyeo) means "Get it together!", "Snap out of it!" or "Wake up!". People say it to someone who is distracted, foolish, in shock, or even fainting.
Where it comes from
정신 means "mind" or "spirit", and 차려 is the casual command of 차리다, "to gather" or "to pull together". So literally it is "Pull your mind together."
How to use 정신 차려
Say 정신 차려 to a friend who is daydreaming, making bad choices, or panicking. In K-dramas it is also shouted at someone who has collapsed, like "Stay with me!"
It is a casual command, so it can sound harsh. Use it with friends, family and younger people. People also say it to themselves: 정신 차리자 means "Come on, focus."
Use 정신 차리세요 for an older person who has fainted or is dazed. Telling an elder to get their act together is never polite, whatever the ending.
Examples
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Your friend is staring into space
Your friend wants to text their ex again
A classmate is dozing during a test
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 정신 좀 차려 | Get a grip already | 좀 adds impatience. |
| 정신 차리자 | Come on, let's focus | Often said to yourself. |
| 정신 차리세요 | Please wake up / Stay with me | Polite, for someone dazed or fainting. |
| 정신없어 | I'm so frazzled / It's hectic | A related everyday phrase. |
Questions learners ask
What does jeongsin charyeo mean?
정신 차려 means "Get it together!" or "Snap out of it!". Literally it is "Pull your mind together."
Is jeongsin charyeo rude?
It is a casual command, so it can sound harsh. Use it with friends and younger people, not with elders.
Why do K-drama characters say jeongsin charyeo to someone who fainted?
Here it means "Wake up! Stay with me!", urging the person to regain consciousness.