I think you’ve heard ‘멍때리다’ from Korean dramas or movies sometimes. What does it mean? Let’s dig it out.
The Etymology and Meaning of '멍때리다'
1. Etymology:
'멍때리다' is a relatively recent colloquial expression in modern Korean. While its precise origin is unclear, it is generally interpreted as a combination of '멍하다' and '때리다'.
'멍하다' refers to a state of mental blankness or lethargy, where a person is not thinking of anything or appears to be momentarily absent-minded.
'때리다' in this context is used not in its literal sense of "to strike" or "hit" but rather as an informal expression meaning "to do" or "to act." Such usage is common in colloquial Korean.
Thus, '멍때리다' refers to being in a state of doing nothing in particular and having a blank mind.
2. Meaning:
'멍때리다' describes the state of being mentally vacant or staring blankly, often without any particular reason. It is typically used when someone is unconsciously fixating on something or simply in a vacant state.
Examples of '멍때리다' in Use
"지하철에서 창밖을 보면서 멍때리고 있었어."
(On the subway, I was just staring out the window, lost in thought.)"회의 중에 갑자기 멍때리고 있던 내 모습을 상사에게 들켰다."
(During the meeting, my boss caught me zoning out.)"집에 와서 아무 생각 없이 소파에 앉아 멍때렸어."
(I got home and sat on the couch, doing nothing and just zoning out.)"오늘따라 집중이 안 돼서 계속 멍때리게 되네."
(I can't focus today, and I keep zoning out.)"친구들이 떠드는 동안 나는 창밖을 보며 멍때리고 있었다."
(While my friends were chatting, I was just staring out the window in a daze.)
This expression is often used to describe moments in a busy life when a person wishes to pause and clear their mind for a while.
Other Uses of '때리다' Beyond Its Literal Meaning
Though '때리다' originally means "to strike someone," it is often used metaphorically in various contexts in everyday conversation. Here is an example:
소주 한 잔을 때리다
Meaning: To drink alcohol quickly.어제 친구랑 소주 한 잔 때렸어. I drank soju with my friend yesterday.
내일 소주 한 잔 때릴까? Why don’t we drink soju tomorrow?
게임을 한 판 때리다
Meaning: To play a quick game.
심심한데, 게임 한 판 때릴까? I'm bored. Should we play a quick game?
퇴근하고 친구들이랑 게임 한 판 때렸어. After work, I played a game with my friends.
노래를 한 곡 때리다
Meaning: To belt out a song.
노래방에서 친구들이랑 노래 한 곡 때렸어. I sang a song with my friends at noraebang.
분위기 좋을 때 노래 한 곡 때려줘! When the mood is right, belt out a song!