English translation · Awaiting review

Korean slang profile

귀염사

gwiyeomsa

An exaggerated expression for feeling as if one might die from how cute something is.

An exaggerated expression for feeling as if one might die from how cute something is.

Expanded form
Not documented
Other spellings
—
Earliest source found
Dec 10, 2015
Documented trend period
Not verified

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

  • Example by Julimmal

    잠든 강아지 사진을 보자마자 귀염사할 뻔했어.

    I nearly died of cuteness as soon as I saw the sleeping puppy photo.

02Documented history

  1. 2015-12-10The National Institute of Korean Language’s “2015년 신어” included the expression’s definition and examples of usage.[1]

03Origin & word formation

The meaning and contemporary examples of “귀염사” were checked in the National Institute of Korean Language’s “2015년 신어”. Who first used it and when have not been verified.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The explanation in one National Institute of Korean Language source was checked. The evidence is on PDF page 117; the older article texts re-quoted there and the first use of the expression were not separately verified.

04Sources

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.

  1. 2015년 신어 (국립국어원)Published Dec 10, 2015Original source checked Nov 14, 2026
Original Korean record: Not verifiedEnglish translation: awaiting review

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