20 Korean Texting Abbreviations: ㅇㅇ, ㄱㅅ, ㄹㅇ and More

Most Korean texting abbreviations keep only the first consonant of each syllable: 감사 (thanks) becomes ㄱㅅ, and 축하 (congrats) becomes ㅊㅋ. Here are 20 that Koreans use every day, what they mean, and who you can send them to.

Level: Beginner · TOPIK 1-2

Open any Korean group chat and you will see strings like ㅇㅇ, ㄹㅇ, and ㅠㅠ. They look like code, but most of them follow one simple pattern. Once you know it, you can read many abbreviations you have never seen before.

The Short Answer: How Korean Texting Abbreviations Work

Rule: Take the first consonant of each syllable and drop everything else.
Use them with: friends and people your age in casual chats. Not with teachers, bosses, or people you just met.

Here is the pattern with one word.

Syllable	First consonant
감 (gam)	ㄱ
사 (sa)	ㅅ
감사 (thanks)	ㄱㅅ

Koreans call these first consonants 초성 (choseong). That is why you will sometimes see people write “초성으로” (in initials) when they type this way.

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12 Consonant Abbreviations

Abbreviation	From	Meaning
ㅇㅇ	응응	yeah, OK
ㄴㄴ	노노	no, nope
ㅇㅋ	오케이	okay
ㄱㅅ	감사	thanks
ㅈㅅ	죄송	sorry
ㅊㅋ	축하	congrats
ㅂㅂ	바이바이	bye
ㄱㄱ	고고	let’s go
ㄷㄷ	덜덜	wow, scary (the sound of trembling)
ㅇㅈ	인정	agreed, true
ㄹㅇ	리얼	for real
ㅠㅠ / ㅜㅜ	(crying eyes)	sad, touched, or “please”

Notice that some of these come from English words: 오케이 (okay), 노노 (no no), 바이바이 (bye-bye), 고고 (go go), 리얼 (real). ㅠㅠ is different. It is not a word at all, but a picture of two crying eyes.

Here is how they look in real messages.

Repeating an abbreviation, like ㅊㅋㅊㅋ, makes it sound more cheerful. You will also see ㅋㅋ and ㅎㅎ everywhere. They are both laughter, but they don’t feel the same.

🗣️ Native insight Why does a single ㅋ sound like teasing, when ㅋㅋㅋ sounds friendly? ㅋㅋ vs ㅎㅎ, ^^, and what your laugh says about you. Read the answer →

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4 Shortened Words

Some common words are simply cut short in texts. These are full syllables, not just consonants.

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4 Chat Culture Words

These words describe how people use KakaoTalk, the messaging app almost every Korean uses.

Word	From	Meaning
단톡	단체 톡방	group chat
프사	프로필 사진	profile picture
읽씹	읽고 씹다	to read a message and ignore it (“left on read”)
꿀잼 / 노잼	꿀 + 재미 / no + 재미	super fun / boring

There is also 안읽씹 (anikssip): not even opening the message. In KakaoTalk, a little “1” next to your message means the other person hasn’t read it yet. Which one hurts more, 읽씹 or 안읽씹, depends on the person.

Slang gets old fast: 늙크크 and 영크크

Texting slang changes quickly, and Koreans notice who keeps up. A recent buzzword is 영크크 (yeongkeukeu), from “Young Creator Crew,” the title of a song by the boy group CORTIS. People use it for young, trendy people who are up to date. Its joking opposite is 늙크크 (neukkeukeu), made by combining 늙다 (to be old) with 영크크. It describes someone whose slang or style feels a little dated.

For example, 헐 대박 (“Whoa, amazing”) is still understood by everyone, but teenagers may hear it as a little 늙크크. Many of them say 엥 (eng, “huh?”) or 엥 ㄹㅇ? (“huh, for real?”) instead. Be careful with 엥, though. It is fine between friends, but it can sound too casual to someone in their twenties or older you don’t know well, and rude to anyone older than you.

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Do Koreans Say These Out Loud?

Most consonant abbreviations stay in texts. Nobody says “ㄱㅅ” out loud. But the words behind some of them are common in speech, especially among younger people.

So when you learn an abbreviation, learn the word behind it too. You will be able to read it in chats and recognize it in conversation.

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When Not to Use Them

Texting abbreviations are casual. Sending them to someone older or higher than you can feel lazy or disrespectful, even if your message is kind.

Also avoid them in your first message to someone new. Wait until the other person starts using them with you. Once they do, it is usually a sign that the chat has become relaxed.

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Common Mistakes

❌ Wrong	✅ Right	Why
(To an older coworker) ㅇㅇ	네! ne! Yes!	ㅇㅇ is casual. It can sound like you don’t care.
(In a sorry message to a friend) ㅈㅅ	미안해 ㅠㅠ mianhae I’m sorry.	For a real apology, ㅈㅅ can feel too quick. Write it out.
Writing a whole message in initials	Mix: ㅇㅋ 낼 7시에 봐	All-initial messages are hard to read, even for Koreans.

🗣️ Try It Today

Pick one and use it with a Korean friend today.

ㅇㅋ 낼 봐!
okei nael bwa!
OK, see you tomorrow!

생일 ㅊㅋㅊㅋ!
saengil chukachuka!
Happy birthday!

단톡에 올려 줘!
dantoge ollyeo jwo!
Post it in the group chat!

엥 ㄹㅇ?
eng rieol?
Huh, for real? (Friends only.)

프사 바꿨네?
peusa bakkwonne?
You changed your profile picture?

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Summary and Quick Quiz

Type	Examples	How it works
Consonant abbreviations	ㅇㅇ, ㄱㅅ, ㅊㅋ, ㄹㅇ	First consonant of each syllable
Shortened words	넘, 걍, 낼, 쌤	A word cut short
Chat culture words	단톡, 프사, 읽씹	Two words squeezed into one
Who to send them to	Friends, people your age	Not teachers, bosses, or new contacts