Korean

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Alternative forms

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  • 뭐하다 (mwohada) (colloquially dominant form)

Etymology

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Of native Korean origin. From 무엇 (mueot) +‎ 하다 (-hada, to do, light verb deriving adjectives), by extension a euphemism meaning "to be you-know-what".

Pronunciation

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Romanizations
Revised Romanization?mueothada
Revised Romanization (translit.)?mueoshada
McCune–Reischauer?muŏthada
Yale Romanization?mueshata

Adjective

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무엇하다 (mueothada) (infinitive 무엇해 or 무엇하여, sequential 무엇하니)

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see 무엇 (mueot),‎ 하다 (hada).
  2. (euphemistic) to be uncomfortable, to be awkward, to be off
    사람 안다고 하긴 뭐하네.
    Geu saram-eul andago hagin jom mwohane.
    I think it's a bit awkward to say that I know that guy.
    (literally, “I think it's a bit you-know-what to say that I know that guy.”)

Conjugation

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