Korean Dictionary
How to say "Complaint" in Korean
“Complaint” in Korean is 불만 (pronounced "bul-man").
불만
bul-man
Usage & Context
불만 refers to complaints about products or services. Korean retailers have complaint procedures to address customer concerns.
Example Sentence
불만이 있으세요?
Do you have a complaint?
How to use 불만 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Complaint” is 불만, romanized as bul-man.
Usage tip
Shopping Korean usually sounds more natural when you use short polite questions instead of translating English directly.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 불만.
Pronunciation Guide
불 (bul) sounds like 'bool' in 'pool,' but with a 'b' instead of 'p,' and the 'u' like 'oo' in 'book.' 만 (man) sounds like 'man.' The two syllables are pronounced distinctly and evenly, with no particular stress.
More Example Sentences
A store employee inviting feedback.
제품에 대한 불만이 있으시면 말씀해주세요.
If you have any complaints about the product, please tell us.
Reporting someone's action regarding poor service.
그는 서비스에 불만을 제기했어요.
He raised a complaint about the service.
Explaining a decision after a negative experience.
불만이 많아서 환불받기로 결정했어요.
I had many complaints, so I decided to get a refund.
Cultural Context
While Koreans generally value harmony and politeness, they are also quite direct when it comes to consumer rights. Expressing '불만' about a product or service is common and expected if there's a legitimate issue. Businesses usually have clear procedures for handling complaints, aiming to resolve issues quickly to maintain customer satisfaction and reputation, as word-of-mouth and online reviews are very influential.
Editorial note
We review entries like 불만 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
불만이 있어요.
I have a complaint.
불만을 제기하다.
To raise a complaint.
불만을 해결하다.
To resolve a complaint.
Related Expressions
불평
bul-pyeong
Complaint (often more about general dissatisfaction)
항의
hang-ui
Protest, objection (stronger than 불만)
문제
mun-je
Problem, issue
개선
gae-seon
Improvement
More Shopping Words
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