What it means
천천히 means slowly — the opposite of the famous 빨리빨리 (hurry hurry) culture. 천천히 말해 주세요 is one of the most useful phrases for Korean learners speaking with native speakers.
Nuance & when to use
천천히 = slowly (adverb). 천천히 해요 = take your time / do it slowly. 천천히 먹어요 = eat slowly. Also used as a reassurance: 천천히 해요, 급하지 않아요 (take your time, there's no rush). The counterpart to 빨리 (quickly).
⚠ Common mistake
천천히 and 조금씩 are related but different. 천천히 = slowly (pace). 조금씩 = little by little (amount/degree).
Example sentences
See also
FAQ
When is this used?
천천히 = slowly (adverb). 천천히 해요 = take your time / do it slowly. 천천히 먹어요 = eat slowly. Also used as a reassurance: 천천히 해요, 급하지 않아요 (take your time, there's no rush). The counterpart to 빨리 (quickly).
What's a common mistake?
천천히 and 조금씩 are related but different. 천천히 = slowly (pace). 조금씩 = little by little (amount/degree).
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