What does 짝사랑 (jjaksarang) mean?
- 짝사랑jjaksarang
One-sided love, crush
Fine in most situations
짝사랑 (jjaksarang) means one-sided or unrequited love in Korean. It is when you like someone who does not like you back, or who does not even know. It is one of the most popular themes in K-dramas and ballads.
Where it comes from
짝 (jjak) is a word about pairs and one half of a pair, and 사랑 means love. So 짝사랑 is love from just one side.
How to use 짝사랑
You can use it as a noun (나 짝사랑 중이야, "I have a one-sided crush") or a verb with 하다 (선배를 짝사랑해요, "I have a crush on my senior").
It often suggests a secret crush that has gone on for a while, sometimes with a little heartache.
When the feelings turn out to be mutual, people may say it was 쌍방, "both sides," and the 짝사랑 becomes a 썸 or a relationship.
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Telling a close friend a secret
Confessing to a diary or friend
Complaining late at night
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 짝사랑하다 | To love someone one-sidedly | Verb form. |
| 짝사랑 중이야 | I have a one-sided crush | Literally "in the middle of one-sided love." |
| 외사랑 | One-sided love | Less common synonym, more literary. |
Questions learners ask
Is jjaksarang the same as a crush?
Close. A 짝사랑 is a crush that is not returned, or not yet. If the other person likes you too, it is no longer 짝사랑.
How do you say "I have a crush on you" in Korean?
Most people would say 좋아해 ("I like you") directly. 짝사랑 is more for talking about the crush to someone else.