Vocabulary
다정하다
to be warm and caring
Meaning
Adjective: to be affectionate and considerate toward others.
Why this form?
친절하다 — to be kind : Focuses on kindness or helpfulness; 다정하다 also conveys emotional warmth.
상냥하다 — to be gentle and pleasant : Describes gentle manners or speech; 다정하다 foregrounds caring affection.
Forms not to confuse
- 친절하다
그 직원은 정말 친절해요. — That employee is very kind.
- 상냥하다
그녀는 말투가 상냥해요. — She has a gentle way of speaking.
Hanja
다정하다 (多情) — 多 “many” + 情 “feelings”; evokes abundant affection rather than simply having many emotions.
Examples
다들 나를 걱정해 주는 것 같아. 너무 다정하다. — Everyone seems worried about me. They are so caring.
다정한 친구가 곁에 있어요. — I have a caring friend beside me.