Summer night, Minhee’s house
# June 22nd, 2018
아깝다! I was so close to winning.
I had a bet with my friend at his party. I thought I was going to win, but I lost by just one point in the last round. It was so 아깝다 that I started fiddling with the game console and accidentally knocked over the last piece of cake next to me. 아깝다. I was saving it to enjoy later.
아깝다 / Ak-Kap-Da /
➤ feeling when something is wasted
➤ a sense of near attainment
“Ak-Kap-Da” is translated as “what a waste” or “that was close.” This expression is employed when there’s a sense of loss, indicating that something valuable or desired has been wasted or narrowly missed. While the two kinds of English translations may seem distinct, they converge in conveying the underlying emotion of loss.
It is the feeling of regret over the loss of something valuable or special, the loss of a desired outcome that was almost attained, or the inefficiency in utilizing resources. This term finds application in various scenarios, whether it be losing money, receiving news of an unexpected death, losing a game by a narrow margin, or recognizing the waste of time.