Internet and text messaging

terms used on the internet, emoticons, internet slang etc

Sounds

• ㅋ- Noise used for laughter, the more ㅋ's the more the person is laughing.
• ㅋㄷ - 키득키득, another way to write the sound of laughter
• ㅎ- Noise used for laughter, the more ㅎ's the more the person is laughing.

Emoticons

• ㅜㅜ /ㅠㅠ - Tears
• ^^ - Happy eyes
  • ㅅㅅ - Interchangeable from ^^
• .\/. - Angry eyes
• OTL - Shape of a person crying on the floor
• *_____* - Smiling face
• ▶◀ - Used for when someone died (what is it supposed to be?)
• -ㅅ-a - Scratching one's head
• 'ㅅ'b - Thumbs up
• 'ㅅ'ㅗ - The finger
• @.@ - Confusion
• [any emoticon] + ;; - embarrassment (i.e., ^^;;). It can also just be used by itself to indicate embarrassment. The more semi colons the more one is indicating they are embarrassed.
• ㅡ_ㅡ - ?
• ㅋ.ㅋ - ?
• ㅎ.ㅎ - ?
• ㅃ.ㅃ - ?

Shortened words

Shortened form	Real word	Comment
ㅇㅇ	응	Positive response, low form of 네 (yes).
ㅇㅋ	Ok
~욜	~요일	Abbreviation used in combination when expressing a particular day. 일욜 → 일요일 (Sunday) 수욜 → 수요일 (Wednesday)
ㄳ / ㄱㅅ	감사합니다	Thank you
ㄳ / ㄱㅅ	가속	Accelerate - used on some message boards to artificially increase the number of replies or keep the thread alive.
ㄱㅊ	괜찮아요	It's ok
ㅊㅎ	축하해요	Congratulations
ㅎㅇ	하이	Hi
ㅂㅇ	바이	Bye
방가	방가워요	Nice to meet you
ㅅㅂ	씨발	A strong korean curse word, similar to the F word.
낼	내일	Tomorrow
올만이네	오랜만이네	Long time no see.
짱나	짜증 나	Expression you use when something or someone is annoying
글쿠나 / 글구나	그렇구나	(Ah) I see!
걍	그냥	Just
어케	어떻게	How
대체	도대체	~the hell (i.e. who the hell ...)
긔	?	?
쩝	?	?

Text Message Style

Since many young people are so used to typing text messages in a different way, typing proper Korean can sometimes make the person sound serious or angry. Many young people use a style that is considered more cute. However these should not be used in formal conversation, people who you have a formal relationship with and elders (cases vary).

Style/form	Comment
A/V + ㅁ/음 (instead of A/V + (으)면)	This is not to be confused with the real grammar pattern A/V + (으)ㅁ which turns a adjective or verb into a noun. 일찍 끝남 전화할게 → 일찍 끝나면 전화할게 (If I finish early, I'll call you) 시간 있음 만나자 → 시간 있으면 만나자 (If you have time, let's meet)
Simple spelling	Examples: 맞아 → 마자
응 substitutions	Using 엉, 웅, 앙, 옹, 읭, 잉 instead of 응 (low form of 'yes'). These forms are supposed to be more 'cute.'
Adding ㅇ as the 받침 to words.	Young people often add ㅇ as the 받침 to words at the end of sentences without a 받침. Examples: 오빠! → 오빵! 일찍 만나자 → 일찍 만나장
Substitutes for ~요	~여, ~염, ~엽, ~욘, ~용 , ~효 = Substitutes for ~요 at the end of sentences. Examples: 잘 자요 → 잘 자여
~셈	Substitute for ~십시오 & ~세요. Examples: (to be added)
삼, ~3	Substitute for ~습니다 and 세요. 삼 is the pronunciation for the Sino Korean number three, so 3 can be used as well. Examples: 소주 주세요 → 소주 주삼
Using ㅅ instead of ㅆ (as 받침)	Examples: 했어 → 햇어 먹었어 → 먹엇어
Spelled as pronounced	Some words are spelled the way they are commonly pronounced. Examples: 뭐 → 머 / 모 뭐 해? → 머 해? 뭐 해? → 모 해? 줘 → 조 물 좀 줘 → 물 좀 조 봐 → 바 내일 봐 → 내일 바 되 / 돼 → 대 안 돼 → 안 대
쥐 instead of 지	Sometimes 쥐 is used instead of 지 to sound more cute. Examples: 인사해야지 → 인사해야쥐
음 words	Words like 다음, 마음 become just 담 and 맘.

See also

• How to text message in Korean text message simulator at the bottom also)