hajima vs andwae
Hajima vs Andwae: What's the Difference? (Two Ways Koreans Say 'Stop' or 'No')
하지마
hajima · hajima
안돼
andwae · andwae
Quick answer
Hajima (하지마) tells someone to stop a specific action ('don't do that'), while andwae (안돼) rejects a situation, refuses permission, or cries out in disbelief — hajima targets behavior, andwae targets reality.
Comparison table
| Aspect | hajima | andwae |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Don't do that / stop it (targeting an action) | No / you can't / that can't happen (targeting a situation or fact) |
| Hangul | 하지마 | 안돼 |
| Romanization | hajima | andwae |
| What it targets | A specific action someone is doing or about to do | A situation, request, or painful reality — refusal or a cry of despair |
| Tone in K-dramas | Urgent or pleading — 'please, stop what you're doing' | Desperate or firm — 'this can't be happening' or 'absolutely not' |
| Can be used alone? | Yes — 하지마! as a standalone is extremely common | Yes — 안돼! alone is a classic K-drama scream of shock or refusal |
| Polite upgrade | 하지 마세요 (haji maseyo) — respectful request to stop | 안됩니다 (andoemnida) — formal refusal; 안돼요 (andwaeyo) is polite casual |
| Emotional register | Can be angry, pleading, or protective depending on context | Can be authority (parent saying 'no') or raw emotion (crying out in grief) |
hajima examples
하지마, 제발.
Hajima, jebal.
Stop it, please.
그렇게 하지마.
Geureoke hajima.
Don't do it like that.
andwae examples
안돼! 가지 마!
Andwae! Gaji ma!
No! Don't go!
그건 안돼.
Geugeon andwae.
That's not okay / you can't do that.
Which one should you use?
Use hajima when you want someone to stop a specific action right now — it always targets a behavior. Use andwae to reject a proposal, refuse someone permission, or react with shock and despair to something that just happened or is about to happen. In K-dramas you'll often hear both in rapid succession during a climactic scene: '하지마! 안돼!' roughly translates as 'Stop! No, this can't happen!' The two reinforce each other — hajima addresses the action, andwae addresses the situation as a whole. Learners often confuse them because both can translate as 'no' in subtitles, but their targets are different.
FAQ
Are hajima and andwae the same thing?
They overlap in casual 'no / stop' contexts but are not the same. Hajima (하지마) is literally 'don't do it' — it stops an action. Andwae (안돼) is 'it's not okay / it can't be' — it rejects a state or possibility. In a scene where someone reaches for the door, you'd say hajima to stop the hand movement and andwae to reject the idea of leaving entirely.
Is hajima rude?
It's direct and casual — definitely not formal. To someone older you'd soften it: 하지 마세요 (haji maseyo) is the polite version. Using plain hajima with an elder can come across as rude.
What's the polite form of andwae?
안됩니다 (andoemnida) is formal and firm, commonly used in official or professional settings. 안돼요 (andwaeyo) is politely casual — appropriate for someone older or in a service context.
Why do K-drama characters scream andwae so dramatically?
안돼 doubles as a cry of disbelief or grief — it means not just 'I refuse' but 'this reality is unacceptable.' That emotional dual use ('no!' as refusal AND 'no!' as despair) makes it a go-to outburst in emotional scenes.
Can andwae be used to mean 'it won't work' or 'it's impossible'?
Yes — that's actually a very common non-emotional use. '이 방법은 안돼' means 'this method won't work.' It's practical, not dramatic. Context tells you which meaning is in play.
Which would you say to stop someone running into traffic?
Hajima (하지마) or more urgently 하지 마 / 가지 마 — because you're targeting the specific action (running, going). Andwae would express your horror at the situation rather than stop the behavior.