In vain in Korean 🇰🇷

괜히 info.

Tips to Remember:
• Notice that “괜히” (gwaenhi) sounds a bit like “gwen-heel” and you can imagine trying to walk in heavy heels for no reason—an effort made in vain.
• Associate “괜히” with unnecessary or pointless actions; the sound can remind you of “why” as in “why did I do that?” when the effort ended up fruitless.

Explanations:
• “괜히” is an adverb meaning “in vain” or “for no reason.” It describes doing something without a good reason or with no intended beneficial result.
• It implies that the action was unnecessary or even counterproductive.

Other Words with the Same Meaning:
• 헛되이 (heotdeoi) – implies doing something fruitlessly or without success.
• 불필요하게 (bulpillyohage) – means “unnecessarily” though it can carry a similar nuance depending on context.

Alternate Meanings and Slang:
• In casual conversation, “괜히” may be used to express regret after doing something that only led to trouble or unnecessary outcomes.
• There isn’t a strong slang usage, but its tone can sometimes convey frustration or annoyance over an action that turned out useless.

Examples of Sentences:
• “괜히 걱정했어.” (Gwaenhi geokjeonghaesseo.) – “I worried for no reason.”
• “괜히 그 일을 시작했어, 결국 도움이 없었어.” (Gwaenhi geu il-eul sijakhaesseo, gyeolguk dom-i eopseosseo.) – “I started that task in vain; in the end, it was of no help.”
• “괜히 시간이 낭비됐어.” (Gwaenhi sigan-i nangbidwaesseo.) – “Time was wasted in vain.”

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