A few days ago, I was about to throw away some food left in the refrigerator. It wasn't enough for a full meal, but it was still perfectly good.
I looked at it and thought,
“버리기 아까운데…” (Beorigi akkaun-de...)
In English, I might say, “It seems like a waste to throw it away.”
But in Korean, 아깝다 (akkapda) comes out almost automatically.
We use this word all the time—not only when we're wasting food or money, but also when someone misses a great opportunity, loses a game by just one point, or has a talent that isn't being put to good use.
That's why translating 아깝다 simply as “wasteful” doesn't quite cover it.
What Does 아깝다 (Akkapda) Mean?
At its core, 아깝다 describes the feeling that something valuable, useful, or almost within reach is being lost or wasted.
Depending on the situation, it can sound like:
What a waste.
That's such a shame.
It's too good to waste.
So close!
I don't want to spend that much.
What a missed opportunity.
The English translation changes, but the Korean word often stays the same.
1. When Something Is Too Good to Waste
This is probably the easiest use to understand.
이거 버리기 아까워.
(Igeo beorigi akkawo.)
→ It's too good to throw away.
You might say this about leftover food, clothes you don't wear anymore, or even an old piece of furniture that still works.
Personally, this is probably when I use 아깝다 most often. I can decide that I don't need something anymore and still hesitate when it's time to actually throw it away.
아까운데…
That little sentence can keep something in my house for another year.
2. When Something Feels Too Expensive
Koreans also use 아깝다 when spending money feels wasteful.
그거 사기엔 돈이 좀 아까워.
(Geugeo sagien doni jom akkawo.)
→ I don't think it's worth spending that much money on it.
Notice that this doesn't necessarily mean, “I don't have enough money.”
I may have the money. I simply don't think the thing is worth it.
For example, if someone suggests paying ₩30,000 for something I think should cost ₩10,000, I might say:
돈 아까워!
(Don akkawo!)
→ What a waste of money!
3. When Someone Almost Succeeds
This is where 아깝다 gets more interesting.
Imagine a soccer ball hits the goalpost instead of going in.
A Korean watching the game might immediately shout:
“아, 아깝다!”
(A, akkapda!)
Here, “What a waste!” would sound strange in English.
What we really mean is:
“Ah, so close!”
The same thing happens when someone misses a test question by a tiny mistake or loses a game by one point.
한 문제 차이였는데, 아깝다!
(Han munje chaiyeonneunde, akkapda!)
→ You were only one question away. So close!
There's a sense that the good result was right there, but slipped away.
You may also enjoy: Aigoo Meaning in Korean: Why Do Koreans Say 아이고?
4. When Someone's Talent Is Being Wasted
We can even use 아깝다 about a person.
Suppose someone is a wonderful singer but never sings anymore.
You might say:
그 재능이 너무 아까워.
(Geu jaeneungi neomu akkawo.)
→ It's such a waste of talent.
Or perhaps someone is extremely capable but is in a situation where they can't make use of their abilities.
Again, 아깝다 carries the feeling that something valuable deserves better use.
While 아깝다 (akkapda) often expresses regret over something wasted or a missed opportunity, 섭섭하다 (seopseophada) describes a more personal feeling of disappointment, especially in relationships.
아깝다 vs. 아쉽다 (Aswipda)
These two words can sometimes appear in similar situations, so Korean learners may mix them up.
Imagine your favorite team loses a close game.
You could say:
아쉽다.
(Aswipda.)
→ That's disappointing. / It's a shame.
But when a player nearly scores and the ball just misses the goal:
아깝다!
(Akkapda!)
→ So close!
A simple way to feel the difference is this:
아쉽다 focuses more on regret or dissatisfaction because something didn't turn out quite as you hoped.
아깝다 focuses more on something valuable being wasted, lost, or just barely missed.
They overlap sometimes, but they don't feel exactly the same to a Korean speaker.
Native Korean's Tip: Don't Memorize Just One Translation
If you memorize 아깝다 = wasteful, you'll probably get confused when you hear Koreans shout “아깝다!” during a soccer game.
Instead, remember the feeling behind it:
“Something good was there—and I hate to see it go to waste or slip away.”
Once you understand that feeling, expressions like these start to make sense naturally:
시간이 아깝다.
(Sigani akkapda.)
→ It's a waste of time.
돈이 아깝다.
(Doni akkapda.)
→ It's a waste of money.
버리기 아깝다.
(Beorigi akkapda.)
→ It's too good to throw away.
아, 아깝다!
(A, akkapda!)
→ Ah, so close!
That's the interesting thing about 아깝다. English needs several different expressions to describe these situations, while in Korean, one little word does a surprising amount of work.
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