부탁
bu-tak
/pu.tʰak̚/
Definition
A request or favor asked of someone; the act of asking someone to do something for you.
Example
친구에게 작은 부탁을 했어요.
Show translation
I asked a small favor of my friend.
Etymology
Sino-Korean compound from Chinese 付託 (fùtuō): 付 (pu, "to entrust, to hand over") + 託 (tak, "to entrust, to rely on"). The combined meaning is "to entrust something to another person," which naturally evolved into the everyday sense of making a request or asking a favor.
Cultural note
부탁 is one of the most socially essential words in Korean. The polite phrase **부탁드립니다** (I humbly ask of you) is heard constantly — at the end of business presentations, job interviews, and formal introductions. A softer variant, **부탁해요** or **부탁해**, is used among friends. Koreans also say **부탁이 있어요** ("I have a request") as a gentle opener before making an ask, which softens what might otherwise feel abrupt. Refusing a 부탁 from someone close carries strong social weight, so phrasing your own requests carefully is a key cultural skill.