You Shorten Literally Everything? The One Word That Teases Koreans' Love of Abbreviations

When you watch Korean variety shows, scroll through YouTube comments, or read KakaoTalk chats, you’ll be flooded with short little words that make absolutely no sense at first. Things like 아아 (aa, iced Americano) or 낄낄빠빠 (kkilkkilppappa, join in when you should join in, back off when you should back off). When Koreans shorten literally everything like this, there’s a little phrase someone watching might toss out, half in disbelief. That’s today’s expression: 별다줄 (byeoldajul).

별다줄

별다줄 (byeoldajul) is an abbreviation made from the first syllables of “별걸 다 줄인다” (“they shorten literally everything”). The funny part? This phrase that criticizes abbreviations is itself an abbreviation. So there’s always a little humor and a touch of self-contradicting irony baked into it.

Meaning and Nuance

When someone shortens way too many words, “야, 별걸 다 줄인다” (“hey, you shorten literally everything”) is both a gentle jab and a note of amazement — and 별다줄 is the compact version of that reaction. The nuance splits into two, depending on the situation.

A light jab: The “do you really have to shorten that too?” kind of disbelief.
Amazement mixed with wonder: The “wow, even this has an abbreviation?” kind of surprise.

Most of the time it’s used with a smile among close friends, so it’s not aggressive at all. If anything, it’s closer to a reaction that adds energy to the conversation.

Example Sentences by Situation

Situation 1 — Ordering at a café Your friend looks at the menu and says “나는 뜨아 (tteua)” (“I’ll have a tteua”). ‘뜨아’ is short for ‘뜨거운 아메리카노’ (hot Americano).

뜨아? 진짜 별다줄이다. (tteua? jinjja byeoldajuljida.) — “A ‘tteua’? You really do shorten everything.”

Situation 2 — Hearing a new abbreviation for the first time Your younger sibling says “오늘 점메추 (jeommechu) 해줘” (“recommend me a 점메추 today”). It’s short for ‘점심 메뉴 추천’ (a lunch menu recommendation).

점메추가 뭐야… 요즘 애들 별다줄 심하네. (jeommechuga mwoya… yojeum aedeul byeoldajul simhane.) — “What’s a ‘jeommechu’… kids these days shorten everything, it’s out of hand.”

Situation 3 — After using an abbreviation yourself You casually say “낄낄빠빠 해야지” (“gotta know when to join in and when to back off”), then catch yourself and admit it with a laugh:

말해놓고 보니 나도 별다줄이네. (malhaenoko boni nado byeoldajuline.) — “Now that I’ve said it, I shorten everything too.”

Polite vs. Casual Speech, and Similar Expressions

별다줄 was born as casual (반말) slang of the internet and among friends, so you don’t really use it in formal settings or with people older than you. If you want to soften it, you’d unpack the abbreviation and say it like this:

Casual (with friends): 별다줄이네. (byeoldajuline.)
Polite (softened): 정말 별걸 다 줄이시네요. (jeongmal byeolgeol da jurisineyo.)

An expression with a similar feel is a description like 줄임말 봇물 (jurimmal bongmul, a flood of abbreviations), but idiomatic slang as perfectly fitting as 별다줄 is rare. The key is the wit of pointing out an abbreviation with an abbreviation.

Cultural Background

Korean is a language where abbreviations are unusually well developed. It’s the result of a fast-typing culture, real-time chatting, and a fondness for short, rhythmic words all coming together. It’s not limited to a few niche cases either — abbreviations have seeped into every corner of daily life, like 버카충 (beokachung, topping up a bus card) and 인싸 (inssa, from “insider” = someone who blends easily into a group).

In dramas and variety shows, too, you’ll often see one character pour out newly coined words while another responds with “별다줄이다” (“you shorten everything”), comically highlighting the generation gap. So if you know just this one word, you’ll be much better at catching the punchline of the ‘abbreviation gags’ in Korean content. More than just slang, 별다줄 is a window that compresses and reveals Koreans’ sense of wordplay.

Closing Quiz

A friend says “나 오늘 저메추 좀” (“give me a 저메추 today”). Here, ‘저메추’ is short for ‘저녁 메뉴 추천’ (a dinner menu recommendation). What’s the most natural reaction in this situation?

저메추? 별다줄이다 진짜. (jeomechu? byeoldajuljida jinjja.)
저메추가 정식 표준어예요. (jeomechuga jeongsik pyojuneoyeyo.)
저메추는 존댓말입니다. (jeomechuneun jondaenmarimnida.)

The answer is number 1. This rhythm of countering an abbreviation with yet another abbreviation — you can pull it off naturally now too, right? Next time a Korean friend shortens literally everything, try saying it with a smile: “별다줄이다!”