반짝반짝

Korean

Etymology

A reduplication of 반짝 (banjjak).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [pa̠ɲt͡ɕ͈a̠k̚p͈a̠ɲt͡ɕ͈a̠k̚]
Phonetic hangeul: [반짝빤짝]

Revised Romanization^?	banjjakbanjjak
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	banjjagbanjjag
McCune–Reischauer^?	pantchakpantchak
Yale Romanization^?	panccakqpanccak

Ideophone

반짝반짝 • (banjjakbanjjak)

(of a small light) twinkling; with a repeated sparkle
- 반짝반짝 빛나는 별.
  Banjjakbanjjak binnaneun byeol.
  The star whose light is twinkling.
(figurative, for a person) while repeatedly entering moments of clarity
(figurative, for a phenomenon) while repeatedly occurring suddenly
(for multiple people or over multiple nights) while staying up the night
while repeatedly lifting up a small thing; (of a small thing) while being repeatedly lifted

Derived terms

반짝반짝거리다 (banjjakbanjjakgeorida)

Usage notes

반짝반짝 (banjjakbanjjak) is the yang vowel, or bright vowel, form of 번쩍번쩍 (beonjjeokbeonjjeok).

In contemporary Korean, the yang vowels refer to /a/, /ɛ/, and /o/. In Korean ideophones and sensory words, forms with these vowels have a connotation of brightness, smallness, clearness, sharpness, youth, or positiveness.