지 못하다

jimothada

Patternheard in 1,223 videos · 2,306 times

Also spelled jimotada

can't manage to; fails to

Says a person is unable to do something, usually with a sense that they would if they could — only able to post under a pen name, unable to let go of a wound, unable to resist anything sweet, refusing or failing to leave a town they love. It is close to 을 수 없다 but points at the person coming up short rather than at the possibility being closed off. A fixed pairing built on it gives the everyday word for "unexpected", which shows up twice here.

Register: neutral, slightly weightier than a short negative

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