Key Facts
- Hangul: 기분; Revised Romanization: gibun
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 氣分 (氣 energy + 分 part)
- Register: Neutral; the everyday word for how one feels.
Mood in Korean: What Does 기분 Mean?
기분 is the mood you are in right now. It covers "mood" and "feeling" and is the everyday way to say how you feel. Two adjectives do most of the work: 기분이 좋다 for a good mood and 기분이 나쁘다 for a bad one. The phrase 기분 전환 means a change of mood, as when you go for a walk to clear your head.
The register is neutral, and the word fits friends, colleagues and strangers alike. It speaks about a passing state. For emotion as a general idea, Korean uses 감정, and for the feel of a room or an event it uses 분위기.
How Do You Pronounce It?
기분 has two syllables, gi-bun. The ㄱ at the start sits between English g and k, and 분 ends in n with the tongue touching just behind the upper teeth.
Take care with the second vowel. ㅜ is a round "oo" and ㅂ is soft, so the syllable is closer to "boon" than to "bun" in English.
Listen to the headword here.
Example Sentences with 기분
오늘 기분이 좋아요.
Oneul gibuni joayo.
I am in a good mood today.
오늘 means "today" and 좋아요 means good. The particle 이 marks 기분 as the thing being described.
기분이 나빠요.
Gibuni nappayo.
I feel bad.
A short, direct reaction. 나빠요 is the polite form of bad, and the sentence tells people you are upset, not ill.
기분이 어때요?
Gibuni eottaeyo?
How do you feel?
The standard way to ask about someone's state. 어때요 means "how is it", and the answer is usually one of the two adjectives above.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Each phrase combines 기분 with a word that names the state.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 기분이 좋다 | to be in a good mood |
| 기분이 나쁘다 | to be in a bad mood |
| 기분 전환 | change of mood |
The Mistake to Avoid
- Wrong: Saying 기분이 안 좋아요 to mean "I feel unwell".
- Correct: It means you are in a bad mood. For physical illness say 몸이 안 좋아요.
The two phrases differ by one word, but they send the listener in different directions: one invites comfort for a mood and the other for a body.
기분 Compared with 감정 and 분위기
기분 is close to two other nouns. They describe different layers of feeling.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 기분 | mood | The current mood, which changes with the day. |
| 감정 | emotion | Emotion in general. |
| 분위기 | atmosphere | The atmosphere of a place or situation. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
기분 is Sino-Korean, written 氣分 in hanja: 氣 (energy) plus 分 (part). A "part of your energy" is a neat way to picture a mood.
A Walk after a Difficult Morning
Two coworkers talk during a break after one has had a difficult morning. They use 기분 for the feeling and suggest a small change of scene.
Mina
오늘 기분이 어때요?
Oneul gibuni eottaeyo?
How are you feeling today?
Jisu
기분이 별로예요.
Gibuni byeolloyeyo.
I’m not feeling great.
Mina
기분 전환으로 산책할까요?
Gibun jeonhwaneuro sanchaekalkkayo?
Shall we go for a walk for a change of mood?
Jisu
좋아요. 같이 가요.
Joayo. Gachi gayo.
Sounds good. Let’s go together.
별로예요 gives a restrained negative answer: the mood is not very good. 기분 전환으로 gives the purpose of the walk. The speaker wants a mental change of scene, rather than a change to the weather or the room.
What Do Common 기분 Phrases Really Mean?
기분이 나쁘다 can mean being in a bad mood, but it can also describe feeling offended by something someone did. After a rude comment, the phrase may mean “that upset me”. It does not always describe a mood that was already bad before the conversation started.
기분을 풀다 means to ease or lift a bad mood. The literal image is loosening it. In this phrase 기분 takes the object marker 을 because someone is doing something to improve the feeling. Compare 기분이 좋다, where 이 marks the mood being described.
기분 전환 is a change of mood or a mental refresh. The phrase often appears around a walk, an outing or a small change to a routine. The aim is to feel different afterward; it does not promise that a particular activity will solve the underlying problem.
Can 기분 Describe a Place?
A café can have a calm 분위기, meaning atmosphere. A customer may have a good 기분 while sitting there. English “mood” can describe either the room or the person, so identify whose feeling you mean before choosing the Korean noun.
느낌 is useful for an impression or sensation: how something strikes you. 감정 names emotion, including particular emotions as well as emotion more generally. These words overlap in some contexts, but they give a different focus from a person's present 기분.
Where Will You Hear It, and How Direct Does It Sound?
기분 turns up in conversations after good news, compliments, disappointments and arguments. In a drama, a change from 기분이 좋아요 to 기분이 나빠요 can explain why a character's tone suddenly changes. Watch the event that prompts the line, rather than translating every occurrence as a general “mood”.
기분이 어때요 asks about emotional state. It suits a moment when feelings are already relevant, such as after an exam or a disagreement. It is more specific than a routine greeting. A short answer like the dialogue's 별로예요 lets the other person respond without requiring a detailed explanation.
| Korean | Meaning | Useful next distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 감정 | emotion | Names emotions rather than only today's mood. |
| 분위기 | atmosphere | Describes the feel of a setting or group. |
| 느낌 | feeling; impression | Describes a sensation or how something strikes you. |
| 마음 | mind; heart | Useful for wishes, intentions and inner feelings. |
Use the emotions vocabulary lesson to build this set around concrete situations.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word describes the atmosphere of a café?
- Can 기분이 나쁘다 mean someone feels offended?
- In 기분을 풀다, why does 기분 take 을?
Show answers
- 분위기.
- Yes. A hurtful remark can cause that reaction.
- It is the object: someone is easing or lifting the mood.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say mood in Korean?
Say 기분 (gibun). It also means feeling.
How do you ask someone how they feel?
Say 기분이 어때요? It means "How do you feel?".
Does 기분이 안 좋아요 mean I am sick?
No. It means you are in a bad mood. For illness say 몸이 안 좋아요.
What is the difference between 기분 and 감정?
기분 is the current mood. 감정 is emotion as a general category.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: emotions vocabulary. 기분 appears in the emotions vocabulary list.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 기분 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next: the word nunchi. Next is a related word about reading other people's moods.
- Compare: 감정. For the general idea of emotion, see 감정.