Rather in Korean 🇰🇷

도리어 info.

Tips to remember:
• Think of 도리어 as signaling a reversal—picture opening a door (도리) to reveal an unexpected outcome.
• Associate it with English “rather” or “on the contrary,” as both express contrast between expectation and reality.

Explanations:
• 도리어 is an adverb used to indicate that something occurs in a way contrary to what is expected.
• It emphasizes an unexpected or opposite result relative to a previous statement or assumption.

Other words with a similar meaning:
• 오히려 (ohiryeo)
• 차라리 (charari) – though this can imply “would rather”

Alternate meanings:
• There is no widely recognized slang meaning for 도리어; it is used in standard written and spoken Korean.

Examples of sentences:
1. Korean: 비가 올 것 같았는데, 도리어 맑았다.
Romanization: Bi-ga ol geot gat-assneunde, dori-eo malgatda.
Translation: It seemed like it was going to rain, but on the contrary, it was clear.

2. Korean: 모두 슬퍼할 때, 도리어 그는 웃음을 지었다.
Romanization: Modu seulpeohal ttae, dori-eo geuneun useumeul jieotda.
Translation: When everyone was sad, rather, he smiled.

3. Korean: 시험 전에 긴장할 필요가 없다고 했지만, 도리어 더 조마조마해졌다.
Romanization: Siheom jeon-e ginjanghal pil-yo-ga eobtdago haetjiman, dori-eo deo jomajomahaejyeotda.
Translation: They said there was no need to be nervous before the exam; instead, I became even more anxious.

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