해체

Korean

Etymology

From 해 (hae), informal and non-polite imperative of 하다 (hada, “to do”) + 체 (che, “style”)

Noun

해체 (haeche)

1. the informal, non-polite speech level in Korean

Usage notes

해체 (haeche) is a 반말 (banmal, “crude language”) speech level used most often between close friends and relatives, and when addressing younger acquaintences. Like other speech levels, it is applied to verbs and adjectives.

Korean words inflected in this speech level are quite short, often just the unadorned stem:

• 해 (hae, “does; do!”)
• 했어 (haesseo, “did”)

See also

Other speech levels:

• 하소서체 (hasoseoche)
• 하십시오체 (hasipsioche)
• 하오체 (haoche)
• 하게체 (hageche)
• 해라체 (haerache)
• 해요체 (haeyoche)