만나다
man-na-da
/man.na.da/
Definition
To meet or see someone, especially by arrangement or by chance.
Example
오늘 카페에서 친구를 만났어요.
Show translation
I met a friend at a café today.
Etymology
Derived from Middle Korean 맞다 (to face, to receive), evolving through contraction into 만나다. The doubled nasal /nn/ is a product of assimilation when the root 맞- combined with the connective suffix -나.
Cultural note
In Korean social culture, physically meeting someone (만나다) carries more weight than a quick text or call. Koreans often use the phrase 언제 한번 만나요 ("let's meet sometime") as a warm social gesture, though it isn't always a firm plan. Context matters a lot — a close friend saying it means something different from a casual acquaintance. Note also that 만나다 is used for romantic relationships too: 그 사람 만나요? literally means "Are you meeting/dating that person?"