미팅 Doesn't Mean "meeting": Korean False Friends

미팅 in Korea = a group blind date (arranged social meetup). In English, a 'meeting' is a business gathering.

The Rule

When Koreans say 미팅 (miting), they mean: blind group date. It sounds like "meeting" in English, but the meaning is different. Konglish (콩글리시) words are English-derived words that have taken on new meanings in Korean. They LOOK familiar but can cause real confusion if you assume they mean the same thing as in English.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

미팅 in Korea = a group blind date (arranged social meetup). In English, a 'meeting' is a business gathering. The false familiarity is the trap. When you hear 미팅, your brain automatically connects it to "meeting" — but in Korean, it means something different. This is worse than learning a completely new word because you have to OVERRIDE an existing English association.

How It Works

Korean meaning: 미팅 = blind group date English meaning: "meeting" = something different Many Konglish words entered Korean through Japanese or were coined by combining English words in new ways. The meaning shifted over decades of use in Korean culture, creating these false friends. To express the English meaning of "meeting" in Korean, you'd use a completely different word.

Real Examples

• 미팅 (miting) — "blind group date" ✅ NOT "meeting" ❌ In a real situation: • A Korean person saying "미팅" is talking about: blind group date • An English speaker hearing it might think: "meeting" • This mismatch can cause genuine confusion in conversation

Common Mistakes

❌ Hearing 미팅 and assuming it means "meeting" ✅ 미팅 actually means: blind group date → 미팅 in Korea = a group blind date (arranged social meetup). In English, a 'meeting' is a business gathering. ❌ Using the English word "meeting" with Korean speakers and expecting them to understand ✅ Use 미팅 when you mean blind group date in Korean → Korean speakers may not recognize the "correct" English usage because 미팅 is so established in Korean.

Quick Tip

Just remember: 미팅 = blind group date. Treat it as a Korean word with its own meaning, not as an English loanword. The English origin is interesting trivia, but for practical Korean, forget the English connection and learn the Korean meaning fresh. Konglish words are great conversation starters — Koreans find it amusing when foreigners spot the meaning differences!

미팅 = blind group date, NOT "meeting"

Examples

미팅 — miting — blind group date