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What Does "himnae" (힘내) Mean in Korean?

Cheer up! / You can do it! — the hidden emotional layer and cultural context behind it, not just the dictionary translation.

Meaning

힘내

himnae

Cheer up! / You can do it!

EMOTIONAL INTENSITY6/10
💕 Mediumeveryday

Real Feeling

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What Koreans really mean

This is a very common and versatile phrase used to offer encouragement. It's perfectly fine to say to friends, colleagues, or younger people. While polite, it might be slightly too direct or informal to use with a very senior elder or a complete stranger in a highly formal setting, where a more elaborate phrase like '힘내세요' (himnaeseyo) or '수고하세요' (sugohaseyo) might be preferred, but '힘내' is widely accepted. It conveys genuine care and support.

💬 Used in real life

Said to a friend who is preparing for an important interview or exam.

Used when a colleague is having a tough day at work to offer support.

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

him

noun

Means 'strength' or 'power'.

-내nae

verb ending (imperative)

A shortened imperative form of '내다' (naeda), meaning 'to put out' or 'to generate'. In this context, it means 'to generate strength'.

Tags

encouragementmotivationsupportaffection

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

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