마상 (masang) — A small emotional sting.
Lesson 75 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. This expression appears in the book’s shortened expressions section.
What 마상 means
Short for 마음의 상처, 마상 names the little hurt you feel after a harsh remark or an embarrassing rejection. It is often said jokingly among friends. The situation and tone help determine how natural the expression sounds.
A short conversation
A: 내 그림이 별로래.
B: 아, 마상 입었겠다.
A: They said my drawing was not good.
B: Ouch, that must have stung.
Use it with care
Do not use its light tone to trivialize another person’s genuine pain. For a serious conversation, 마음이 상했어요 is clearer and kinder.
A neutral or polite alternative: 마음이 상했어요. — My feelings were hurt.
Try it yourself
Would you use 마상 for a physical injury?
Answer: No. It refers to hurt feelings. Read the Korean exchange aloud, then replace one detail with something from your own life.
Learn the rest of the series in Basic Korean Grammar. Find more expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
