Korean Dictionary
How to say "Humble" in Korean
“Humble” in Korean is 겸손하다 (pronounced "Gyeomsonhada").
겸손하다
Gyeomsonhada
Usage & Context
A deeply valued virtue in Korean Confucian culture. Showing humility before elders and superiors is expected. Even successful Koreans are expected to remain 겸손한 (humble) — boasting is generally frowned upon in Korean society.
Example Sentence
성공해도 항상 겸손한 자세를 유지해야 해요.
Even after success, you should always maintain a humble attitude.
How to use 겸손하다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Humble” is 겸손하다, romanized as Gyeomsonhada.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
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 겸손하다.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, 겸 (gyeom), sounds like 'gyum' in 'gum' but with a 'y' sound before the 'u'. 손 (son) is like 'son' in 'sonata'. 하 (ha) is like 'ha' in 'haha', and 다 (da) is like 'da' in 'dad'. The stress is fairly even across the syllables.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
겸손합니다 / 겸손해요
Gyeomsonhamnida / Gyeomsonhaeyo
겸손합니다 is more formal, 겸손해요 is standard polite.
Casual (반말)
겸손해
Gyeomsonhae
Used with close friends or those younger than you.
More Example Sentences
Describing a successful person's character.
그는 성공했지만 항상 겸손한 태도를 잃지 않았다.
He succeeded but never lost his humble attitude.
Observing someone's reaction to praise.
칭찬을 해도 겸손하게 받아들이는 모습이 보기 좋았어요.
It was nice to see him humbly accept compliments.
Giving advice to someone starting a new endeavor.
겸손한 마음으로 배우면 더 많은 것을 얻을 수 있을 거예요.
If you learn with a humble heart, you'll gain more.
Cultural Context
In Korean culture, influenced by Confucianism, humility (겸손) is a highly valued virtue. Boasting or showing off is generally frowned upon, even for successful individuals like K-pop idols or business leaders, who are expected to remain humble. The phrase '겸손은 미덕이다' (Humility is a virtue) is a common saying, reflecting this deep-seated cultural expectation.
Editorial note
We review entries like 겸손하다 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
겸손한 자세
a humble attitude
겸손의 미덕
the virtue of humility
겸손하게 말하다
to speak humbly
Related Expressions
겸손
Gyeomson
humility (noun)
자만하다
Jamanhada
to be arrogant (antonym)
겸허하다
Gyeomheohada
to be modest, humble (synonym, slightly more formal)
겸양
Gyeomyang
modesty, self-effacement (related concept)
More Emotions Words
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