Adverbs and sound words — learn them through core images – ShareDocs

很 hěn Why Chinese 很 is not really the word for 'very' A small block slipped in under an adjective that was tipping over, holding it upright. Chinese 5 uses

벌써 beol-sseo Korean 벌써 marks surprise, not the hour You look up and the clock hand sits far past the mark you expected, and your eyes go wide. Korean 5 uses

もう mou How one Japanese word means both "already" and "no longer" A foot that has already stepped past a line drawn on the floor and stands on the far side of it. Japanese

이미 i-mi 이미 is for after the door has shut You reach for the door only after it has closed and the latch has dropped. Whatever is inside is out of your hands now. Korean 5 uses

真 zhēn The Chinese word that is your eyebrows going up Eyes widening at what is right in front of you while the mouth opens first and a sound slips out. Chinese 5 uses

まだ mada The word of someone still standing before the line Someone standing on this side of a line they have yet to cross. Japanese

곧 got Korean 곧 measures distance, not minutes The thing is standing one stride ahead of your foot. It has not arrived yet, but nothing is wedged in between. Korean 5 uses

すぐ sugu Time, distance and temper under one word: no gap Two points pressed together with no room at all to slip anything between them. Japanese

挺 tǐng The Chinese 'pretty' that people say all day long One shoulder lifting a little and the head nodding while you speak. Chinese 5 uses

방금 bang-geum 방금 points at a seat that is still warm The door is still swinging and the chair still holds body heat: the moment immediately behind this one. Korean 5 uses

ちょっと chotto A word you hold between two fingers Thumb and forefinger parted just a little, showing "this much". Japanese 5 uses

特别 tèbié The Chinese word that means one head above the row One head rising above a row of equals, with a finger pointing straight at it. Chinese 5 uses

자주 ja-ju 자주 is about narrow gaps, not a count Dots marked in a tight row across a calendar, each one a short hop from the next. Korean 5 uses

とても totemo The gauge pushed all the way to the top A gauge filled right up to its topmost notch, with no room left to climb. Japanese

非常 fēicháng The word that pushes the needle to the end of the dial A dial whose needle has been pushed to the far right with no room left to travel. Chinese 5 uses

가끔 ga-kkeum 가끔 is a calendar with more blanks than dots Dots scattered thinly across a calendar, with broad empty stretches between them. Korean 5 uses

あまり amari Why "not much" and "far too" are one word A line drawn at the right amount, with the level either stopping short of it or spilling past and running over. Japanese

已经 yǐjīng The 'already' that can refuse and marvel at once A checkbox on a list already crossed off, nothing left to handle on that line. Chinese 5 uses

늘 neul 늘 is one line with no break in it A single unbroken line. Whenever you look, the same thing is in the same place. Korean 5 uses

曾经 céngjīng The Chinese 'once' that says 'but not now' first An old photograph lifted out of a drawer, looked at once, then slid back in as the drawer closes. Chinese 5 uses

ぜんぜん zenzen The word that sweeps the box down to zero A hand sweeping a box clean to the bottom, leaving not one speck behind. Japanese

아주 a-ju 아주 pushes the dial to the end of its track A hand sliding a dial to the very end of its track, leaving nowhere further to go. Korean 5 uses

きっと kitto Driving a nail into something not yet seen Something that has not happened yet is hung on the wall, and a nail is driven in to hold it there. Japanese

从来 cónglái Flip back through every day and the column is blank A register flipped through from the first page to the last with not a single box filled in. Chinese 5 uses

조금 jo-geum 조금 is one notch, not an amount A hand lifting the dial exactly one notch off the bottom and stopping there. Korean 5 uses

一直 yìzhí One line that works on time and on streets alike A line drawn along a ruler, running from end to end without one break in it. Chinese 5 uses

たぶん tabun When the scale tips just a little A balance with both pans loaded, come to rest tipped slightly to one side. Japanese

전혀 jeon-hyeo 전혀 turns the bowl upside down A bowl held upside down and shaken, with nothing at all coming out of it. Korean 5 uses

马上 mǎshàng The word that literally means 'on horseback' One foot already out the door while the body is still turning to follow it. Chinese 5 uses

ずっと zutto One line with no break anywhere in it A single long line with not one gap cut into it anywhere. Japanese

별로 byeol-lo 별로 is a low reading, not a zero The dial stopped one or two notches off the bottom, and a shrug at the sight of it. Korean 5 uses

刚 gāng The 'just now' where the door is still swinging A door that has only just closed, still swinging gently back and forth. Chinese 5 uses

やっと yatto The moment you just barely crest the hill A cart pushed uphill for a long time tipping over the crest at last, as the shoulders go slack. Japanese 5 uses

오히려 o-hi-ryeo 오히려 spins the arrow the other way An arrow heading downward bends partway along and runs back up instead. Korean 5 uses

さっき sakki A thumb jerked over the shoulder A thumb jerked back over the shoulder to point at the spot just gone by. Japanese 5 uses

正在 zhèngzài A photograph snapped in the middle of the motion A turning wheel caught by the shutter mid-spin and held still right there. Chinese 5 uses

겨우 gyeo-u 겨우 is a toe just barely over the line A foot that got over the threshold with only its toes, a hair away from catching on it. Korean 5 uses

なかなか nakanaka One threshold that does not give way easily A high threshold set in your path that does not give way easily. Japanese

终于 zhōngyú The 'finally' where a held breath goes out Climbing a long while, then stepping onto the last rung and letting out a long held breath. Chinese 5 uses

差点儿 chàdiǎnr The Chinese 'almost' that means it did not happen A toe skimming the line on the floor, brushing past without ever landing on it. Chinese 5 uses

하마터면 ha-ma-teo-myeon 하마터면 points at what did not happen A foot slips at the top of the stairs, a hand catches the rail, and everything halts. The floor was never reached. Korean 5 uses

わざわざ wazawaza Footsteps that took the long way on purpose Footprints that ignored the straight road and looped the long way round to reach this door. Japanese 5 uses

반짝반짝 ban-jjak-ban-jjak Korean polishes a cup with the same word it gives the stars A small light switching on and off, on and off, pulling your eye back to it. Korean 5 uses

きらきら kirakira The sound of light that can't hold still: きらきら Tiny points of light that refuse to settle, shivering and jumping from spot to spot. Japanese 5 uses

どきどき dokidoki The heart knocking on the chest wall: どきどき Inside the chest, the heart beating bigger and faster than usual, knocking against the wall from within. Japanese 5 uses

쿵쿵 kung-kung The ceiling and your heartbeat share one Korean word Something heavy striking the floor, and the boom coming back up through your body. Korean 5 uses

ばらばら barabara One lump comes apart into pieces: ばらばら Something that was held together as one lump comes loose and ends up lying about in separate pieces. Japanese 5 uses

살살 sal-sal Wash it, shut it, coax him — one word for 'easy does it' A hand with almost no weight in it, grazing a surface instead of pressing on it. Korean 5 uses

ぺらぺら perapera So thin nothing catches: ぺらぺら A thin sheet of paper running past your fingertip to the very end, with nothing anywhere to catch on. Japanese 5 uses

푹 puk What does it mean to rest 'all the way down'? Something going all the way down and sinking under, not just dipping in. Korean 5 uses

ぐっすり gussuri The body sinking to the floor of sleep: ぐっすり A body sunk as far down into the bedding as it goes, lying motionless at a depth outside sounds cannot reach. Japanese 5 uses

쭉 jjuk 'Go 쭉' — don't turn, don't stop A single line running straight out to the end and never breaking. Korean 5 uses

딱 ttak 딱 isn't 'exactly' — it's 'no gap left' Two surfaces meeting with no gap left, and one dry click as they do. Korean 5 uses

さっぱり sappari Rinsed off in one go: さっぱり Whatever was clinging to a surface rinsed away in one go, leaving the bare surface with nothing on it. Japanese 5 uses

ゆっくり yukkuri Laying more time on the same path: ゆっくり The same distance covered with extra time laid on top of it, so every movement stretches out long. Japanese 5 uses

확 hwak 확 is not about size — it's about speed Something still moving all at once, big enough to stir the air around it. Korean 5 uses

しっかり shikkari Gripped tight so nothing shifts: しっかり A hand closing with real force, leaving no room for anything to wobble or slip out. Japanese 5 uses

툭 tuk A tap on the shoulder and a dropped call: same word Something light landing or coming loose once, and whatever was connected is simply done. Korean 5 uses

슬슬 seul-seul 슬슬 is how Korean starts a move — and says goodbye Something still beginning to move, a little at a time, too slowly to notice. Korean 5 uses

はっきり hakkiri A blurred outline coming into focus: はっきり A smudged outline coming into focus until the border stands out crisply. Japanese 5 uses