없다

eopda · TOPIK 1

to not exist

없다 = 없 (lacking) + 다 (verb ending); the opposite of 있다, to exist

Korean pairs 있다 (to exist, to have) with 없다 (to not exist, to not have). Swap 있 for 없 and the meaning flips. It also builds words: 맛없다 = taste + lacking = not tasty, 재미없다 = fun + lacking = boring.

More Korean words · How Korean works