What 인사 means: reading a Korean dictionary entry

인사 is a useful word to meet early in Korean study because it describes greetings and related acts of courtesy. It is not simply a phrase you can substitute for “hello.” Reading its dictionary entry carefully also teaches a broader skill: choosing the right meaning before memorizing an English translation.

Key takeaways

• 인사 is a noun. Its meaning depends on context.
• Keep the Korean spelling, meaning and situation together in your notes.
• A dictionary example is evidence of usage, not permission to use every phrase in every social setting.

Start with the official entry

The National Institute of Korean Language’s Korean-English Learners’ Dictionary identifies 인사 as a noun. Its listed senses cover courtesy when meeting or parting, introducing people who meet for the first time, and expressing thanks or congratulations. The entry includes Korean examples, English explanations and pronunciation audio on the dictionary’s own page.

Build a small note instead of copying the page

For a first vocabulary card, write 인사 on one side. On the other, record a short reminder in your own words: “a greeting or an act of social courtesy; check the context.” Leave space for a situation you encounter later. This is more useful than copying every example into a long list that you never revisit.

Next, identify whether the passage you are reading describes meeting someone, introducing yourself, or thanking someone. Mark the relevant sense number in your notebook. If two meanings seem possible, keep both until the surrounding passage gives you enough information. Uncertainty is a reason to look more closely, not to force a translation.

Keep register separate from meaning

The dictionary’s example conversations include greetings used in different situations. Do not turn that into a rule that every greeting works with everyone. When learning a complete expression, record who is speaking to whom and whether the exchange is casual or polite. A noun definition alone does not teach all the social choices involved in speaking Korean.

A useful blank template is: Korean expression; English meaning in this passage; speaker; listener; situation; source link. Fill it with a short example from a lesson you are allowed to use. Ask a teacher or proficient speaker about uncertain register before treating your own invented sentence as a model.