Skip to content

께

kke

The same arrow, one notch higher: 께

The picture The same arrow to a person, but aimed a notch above their eye level — the angle of handing something up with both hands. 한테 is the arrow flying level; 께 is the same arrow lifted a notch above eye level.

Particles

Where the picture shows up in 께

  1. handed upward

    할머니께 드렸어요.

    hal-meo-ni-kke deu-ryeo-sseo-yo

    I gave it to my grandmother.

    Something held up in both hands and passed a little above your grandmother's eye level.

  2. words sent upward

    사장님께 말씀드릴게요.

    sa-jang-nim-kke mal-sseum-deu-ril-ge-yo

    I'll bring it up with the boss.

    Head slightly bowed, words lifted carefully toward where the boss sits.

  3. writing sent upward

    선생님께 편지를 썼습니다.

    seon-saeng-nim-kke pyeon-ji-reul sseot-seum-ni-da

    I wrote a letter to my teacher.

    The 선생님께 on the envelope raising the whole letter one step higher.

  4. what came down from above

    부모님께 배웠어요.

    bu-mo-nim-kke bae-wo-sseo-yo

    I learned it from my parents.

    A hand coming down from your parents' side and setting something into your open palm.

    Even when you are the one receiving, keep 께 if the other person is the one you honor.

  5. seating a customer higher

    고객님께 안내 문자를 보냈습니다.

    go-gaek-nim-kke an-nae mun-ja-reul bo-naet-seum-ni-da

    We sent the customer a text with the details.

    Leaning over the counter to hold the notice out to the customer with both hands.

    께 marks the receiver, 께서 marks the subject. 사장님께서 오셨어요 and 사장님께 드렸어요 are not interchangeable.

All of it in one picture

Handing something to your grandmother lifts it above eye level; speaking to the boss lifts the words one step. The 께 on the envelope raises the letter, what you learned from your parents came down from that raised seat, and the message to a customer goes up to a seat you have placed them on. The direction is exactly 한테's. Only the angle of the arrow has changed — and that angle is the honorific.

Next

See all Korean core images