눈치가 빠르다
- Romanization
- nunchiga ppareuda
- Literally
- “(Your) noonchi is fast.”
- Really means
- “You pick up on things quickly.”
눈치nunchi · sense for others' moods
가ga · subject marker
빠르다ppareuda · to be fast
What is 눈치?
눈치 is the ability to read a situation: noticing that a coworker is busy, that a friend wants to leave, or that the mood in a room has changed — and adjusting without anyone saying a word.
In Korean culture, where a lot is left unsaid, good 눈치 helps everything run smoothly. That’s why 눈치가 빠르다 is a real compliment.
Related phrases
- 눈치가 없다 — to be oblivious
- 눈치를 보다 — to watch others’ reactions carefully, often nervously
- 눈치를 주다 — to drop a hint with a look or gesture
In a real conversation
A:팀장님 기분이 안 좋으신 것 같아서 회의를 내일로 미뤘어요.The team leader seemed to be in a bad mood, so I moved the meeting to tomorrow.
B:와, 눈치가 정말 빠르네요!Wow, you really read the room fast!
A:하하, 이제 좀 눈치가 생겼어요.Haha, I've picked up some 눈치 by now.