How to say “Impulse Buy” in Korean?

Hello!

Have you ever added something to your cart at the supermarket checkout—or tapped “Buy Now” while scrolling through a shopping app late at night—without really planning to?

In Korean, this is called 충동구매 (chung-dong-gu-mae).

What Does 충동구매 Mean?

충동(chung-dong) means “impulse,” and 구매(gu-mae) means “purchase.” Together, 충동구매 describes buying something suddenly without planning or carefully thinking about it first.

It is a standard expression that can be used in everyday conversation, news, and formal writing. In casual speech, Koreans commonly combine it with 이다 (“to be”) or 하다 (“to do”).

Here are two common ways to use it.

1. Describing an Impulse Purchase 🛒

Use 충동구매였어 when you want to say that a purchase was made on impulse:

• Korean: 그거 충동구매였어.

• Pronunciation: geu-geo chung-dong-gu-mae-yeo-sseo.

• Meaning: That was totally an impulse buy.

2. Saying You Bought Something on Impulse 💳

Combine 충동구매 with 하다(hada, to do) when you want to emphasize the act of buying:

• Korean: 나 또 충동구매했어.

• Pronunciation: na tto chung-dong-gu-mae-hae-sseo.

• Meaning: I made another impulse purchase. / I bought something on impulse again.

💡Quick Usage Tip

• 충동구매 (chung-dong-gu-mae) is a noun.

• 충동구매하다 (chung-dong-gu-mae-ha-da) means “to make an impulse purchase.”

• 충동구매했어 (chung-dong-gu-mae-hae-sseo) is casual past tense. The polite form is 충동구매했어요 (chul-dong-gu-mae-hae-sseo-yo).

To tell someone not to buy things on impulse, say:

• Korean: 충동구매하지 마.

• Pronunciation: chumg-dong-gu-mae-ha-ji ma.

• Meaning: Don’t make impulse purchases. / Stop buying things on impulse.

Takeaway of the Day

나 또 충동구매했어! (na tto chul-dong-gu-mae-hae-sseo!)

Use it when you bought something suddenly without planning—and perhaps regretted it afterward.

One expression a day, make it yours.

하루에 한 표현을 내 것으로!