hwaiting
Hwaiting (also “fighting!” or “paiting!”) is a Korean cheer of encouragement, like “you’ve got this!” or “let’s go!” It’s often said with a raised fist.
What hwaiting means
Wikipedia describes paiting or hwaiting as a Korean word of support or encouragement, used in sports or any time someone faces a challenge, like a hard exam or an unpleasant task. It doesn’t mean you want anyone to fight. It’s closer to “go for it!” or “come on!”
Koreans add it to names and goals: “Korea, fighting!” means “go, Korea!” Idols say it before performances, friends text it before job interviews, and K-drama characters shout it at each other constantly.
Examples
- “Exam tomorrow? Hwaiting!”
- “Team Korea, fighting!”
- “You’ve got this interview. Hwaiting! 💪”
Where it came from
It comes from the English word “fighting,” borrowed into Korean as Konglish. Korean has no f sound, so it’s said as paiting or hwaiting; Wikipedia notes that the hwaiting spelling, though common, isn’t in major Korean dictionaries. Thanks to K-pop and K-dramas, the word has traveled back into English: in September 2021 the Oxford English Dictionary added it under the entry “fighting, int.”
It’s often paired with aja aja!, another Korean cheer with a similar meaning.
Related terms
See more terms like this in our K-pop slang guide.
Example sentence
Her friends sent “hwaiting!” texts before her driving test.
Similar words
you got this, let’s go
Notes
Spotted a mistake, or heard hwaiting used a different way? Tell us and we'll check it. Read how we write entries.