Meaning and Usage
"축하" means "congratulation" or "celebration" in Korean. It is commonly used to express joy or good wishes for someone's achievement, special occasion, or happy event.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "축하" in situations like birthdays, graduations, weddings, promotions, or any event worth celebrating.
Politeness and Formality
"축하" can be combined with different verb endings to adjust politeness. For example, "축하해요" is polite casual, while "축하합니다" is more formal.
Common Collocations
- "생일 축하해요" (Happy birthday) – a very common phrase to celebrate birthdays.
- "졸업을 축하합니다" (Congratulations on graduation) – used for academic achievements.
- "결혼을 축하드려요" (Sincerely congratulate your marriage) – polite and respectful.
Tips
Be careful not to confuse "축하" with "축제" (festival). "축하" focuses on congratulating or celebrating a person or event, while "축제" refers to a festival or celebration event itself.