· Slangdunk Editors
What does 머쓱타드 (meosseuktadeu) mean? Putting mustard on an awkward moment
머쓱타드 (meosseuktadeu) blends 머쓱하다 (to feel awkward) with “mustard.” It's a cute way to laugh off an embarrassing moment. It was already called a trending word in 2018, and by 2020 it had reached a political headline.
At a glance
- Meaning
- 머쓱하다 (to feel awkward) + mustard. Used to laugh off an embarrassing or awkward moment, usually your own.
- Origin
- A sound-alike pun. Insight introduced it as a trending word in June 2018. Who first used it, and when, is unconfirmed.
- In English
- No set translation. “Awkward” or “that's embarrassing” is close; the mustard pun doesn't survive the trip.
- Careful
- It's usually about yourself. Pointing it at someone else's awkward moment can sound like teasing.
At a café, exchange student Emily jumps up when a pager buzzes. It's the next table's. As she sits back down, her Korean friend Sua says one word. The characters are invented, but every fact in their conversation has a source.
What does 머쓱타드 (meosseuktadeu) mean? A Korean friend explains
- Emily (24, exchange student)Sua, did you just call me 머쓱타드? Is that about hot dogs?
- Sua (23)Half right. It's 머쓱하다 (to feel awkward) plus mustard. You say it when something's embarrassing.
- Emily (24, exchange student)Why a sauce, of all things?
- Sua (23)They sound alike. Meosseuk, mus-. It's a pun built on sound, not meaning.
- Emily (24, exchange student)Is it new?
- Sua (23)Older than you'd think. Insight listed it in June 2018 alongside 갑분싸 and 핵인싸, calling it a cute word for awkward moments.
- Emily (24, exchange student)Who made it up?
- Sua (23)Nobody knows. Neither the first user nor the exact date is confirmed.
- Emily (24, exchange student)Is it just for kids?
- Sua (23)Nope. In September 2020, The Fact put it in a political headline. A party leader's first policy, a 20,000-won phone bill subsidy for everyone, got narrowed to certain groups, and they called it a 머쓱타드 situation. With a definition in brackets.
- Emily (24, exchange student)Does it show up on TV too?
- Sua (23)Yep. A 2021 clip of You Quiz on the Block has “(머쓱타드)” right at the front of its title. Even broadcasters use it.
- Emily (24, exchange student)So me standing up just now…
- Sua (23)Textbook 머쓱타드. When yours buzzes, I'll get it.
머쓱타드
머쓱하다 (to feel awkward) + mustard. A cute way to name an embarrassing or awkward moment, or that feeling. Usually used to laugh off your own blunder.
In Korean: '머쓱하다'와 '머스터드'를 합친 말. 민망하거나 어색한 순간, 또는 그런 기분을 귀엽게 이르는 표현이다.
- 손 흔들었는데 나한테 한 인사가 아니었어… 머쓱타드I waved back, but they weren't waving at me… 머쓱타드.After waving at a stranger
- 단톡방에 엄마한테 보낼 메시지를 올렸다. 머쓱타드 그 자체Sent a message meant for my mom to the group chat. Pure 머쓱타드.Hunting for the delete button
- 자신 있게 정답 외쳤는데 틀림ㅋㅋ 머쓱타드 뿌리고 갑니다Shouted the answer with total confidence and got it wrong lol. Squirting some 머쓱타드 and leaving.Comment on an online quiz
- 회의실 문 열었는데 다른 팀 회의 중이었어요. 머쓱타드…Opened the meeting room door and another team was mid-meeting. 머쓱타드…Office messenger
Why has 머쓱타드 lasted so long?
Saying an awkward moment out loud makes it a little less awkward. But plain 머쓱하다 sounds earnest; add a condiment and it's a joke. Because it borrows only a sound, anyone can pick it up instantly, and it travelled widely: from a 2018 Insight listicle to a 2020 political story in The Fact. If 갑분싸 (“the mood suddenly went cold”) is everyone's silence, 머쓱타드 is the face of one person inside it.
머쓱타드 (meosseuktadeu): frequently asked questions
Q. What does 머쓱타드 mean?
It blends 머쓱하다 (to feel awkward) with “mustard,” and is a cute way to name an embarrassing or awkward moment.
Q. Where does 머쓱타드 come from?
It's a pun on the similar sounds of 머쓱 and mustard. Insight introduced it as a trending word in June 2018. The first user and date are unconfirmed.
Q. What's 머쓱타드 in English?
There's no set translation. “Awkward” or “that's embarrassing” carries the meaning; the mustard pun is hard to keep.
Q. Where can I see 머쓱타드 memes?
We don't reproduce them here. Emoticon shops and Korean communities have plenty of “머쓱” series images; many are copyrighted, so check the source before reusing.
Q. Is 머쓱타드 in the National Institute of Korean Language's neologism list?
Some sites say it appears in the 2019 neologism collection. We couldn't verify the original document for this piece.
So: 머쓱타드 is a sauce for awkwardness. One squirt and you can laugh it off. Emily stayed in her seat through two more pagers that afternoon. If you have a sharper definition, add it to the 머쓱타드 entry in the dictionary.
Sources
See ‘머쓱타드’ in the dictionary — more definitions, examples, and your own take.
Open the dictionary