😐neutral

What Does "gaji ma" (가지 마) Mean in Korean?

Don't go — the hidden emotional layer and cultural context behind it, not just the dictionary translation.

Meaning

가지 마

gaji ma

Don't go

EMOTIONAL INTENSITY6/10
💕 Mediumeveryday

Real Feeling

🇰🇷

What Koreans really mean

This is a very common phrase in close relationships, whether romantic, platonic, or familial. It's often said with a hint of sadness, desperation, or affection when someone is about to depart, and it implies a desire for them to remain longer. It's too informal for strangers or superiors, and often appears in emotional K-drama scenes when characters are reluctant to separate.

💬 Used in real life

Said by a child to a parent leaving for work in the morning.

Used by a partner to their significant other who is about to leave after a visit.

How It's Used

Real example sentences — tap any bubble to explore it

Similar Expressions

Related feelings and meanings — click to explore

Grammar Breakdown

Part by part — learn the structure, not just the meaning

가다gada

verb stem

The base form of the verb 'to go'.

-지 마-ji ma

negative command ending

Attached to a verb stem to form an informal negative command, meaning 'don't [verb]'.

Tags

pleafarewellaffectioninformal

Korean expressions carry layers of meaning that direct translation misses. The real meaning lives in the emotion, context, and cultural moment.

Heard another Korean expression?

Decode it instantly — or tell us what you want to say.