jondaetmal
Also written: jondaemal; honorific speech; polite speech; 높임말
Korean speech that marks respect or politeness through honorific vocabulary, verb forms, sentence endings, and ways of referring to people.
Literal meaning
respectful or honorific speech
Cultural context
Korean speakers choose speech levels according to age, rank, familiarity, setting, and the relationship they want to maintain. Jondaetmal can express genuine respect, professional courtesy, emotional distance, or deliberate restraint.
How dramas use it
Characters use jondaetmal with elders, superiors, strangers, clients, and people they are not yet close to. Continuing to speak formally after intimacy develops can signal anger, distance, or a boundary being restored.
Usage & formality
Jondaetmal is broader than adding one polite ending. Honorifics can affect subjects, verbs, nouns, titles, and sentence endings. Context determines how formal or warm it sounds.