目錄
The Korean expression 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 means “to treat it as if…” or “to just think of it as….” The situation may already be impossible to change, and the result may not necessarily be satisfying, so the speaker temporarily chooses a different way to interpret it—for example, treating a loss as tuition for a lesson learned, treating waiting time as rest, or treating a first failure as practice. This pattern does not deny what actually happened. Instead, it temporarily places the situation within a different interpretation so that what comes next becomes easier to accept or talk about.
Why is 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 often used when comforting someone or making a compromise?
「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 is often used when comforting someone, compromising, or adjusting one’s perspective. When someone has wasted money, missed an opportunity, or ended up with a disappointing result, they can temporarily view what happened as a different kind of outcome. The original loss has not disappeared; the speaker is simply interpreting it in another way so that the situation becomes easier to accept in the moment.
This pattern is related to 「셈」. 「셈」 originally has meanings connected with calculation and judgment, while 「치다」 here means “to count as” or “to regard as.” Together, they can be understood as “temporarily counting something as a different situation.” By contrast, 「-(으)ㄹ 셈이다」, which expresses a plan or intention, is another use of 「셈」 and should not be confused with 「셈 치다」.
How 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 connects: completed actions, ongoing states, and nouns
The form of 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 changes depending on the type of word before it and the state of the action. For an action that has already been completed, use 「verb＋-(으)ㄴ 셈 치다」. For an action that is ongoing or repeatedly occurring, use 「verb＋-는 셈 치다」. Adjectives take 「-(으)ㄴ 셈 치다」, while nouns take 「인 셈 치다」.
In actual conversation, forms such as 「셈 치세요」「셈 쳐요」「셈 치자」「셈 치면 되다」 are common. They are used to make a suggestion, comfort someone, or persuade oneself to accept the current situation.
| Type before the pattern | Attachment | Example | Meaning in English |
| Completed action | Verb＋-(으)ㄴ 셈 치다 | 운동한 셈 치다 | Treat it as having exercised |
| Ongoing or continuing action | Verb＋-는 셈 치다 | 연습하는 셈 치다 | Treat it as practicing |
| Adjective | Adjective＋-(으)ㄴ 셈 치다 | 없는 셈 치다 | Treat it as if it does not exist |
| Noun | Noun＋인 셈 치다 | 수업료인 셈 치다 | Treat it as tuition |
| Common sentence endings | 셈 치세요／셈 쳐요／셈 치면 돼요 | 푹 쉰 셈 치세요 | Just think of it as having had a good rest |
「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 often appears with expressions such as 「좋은 경험」「수업료」「운동」「연습」. These expressions are generally used after something has already happened, temporarily giving the result a different interpretation.
Usage ① of 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」｜Temporarily treating a loss or failure as experience
The most common use is to reinterpret a failure, expense, or troublesome event as experience. It does not mean that the situation has actually become better. Instead, another interpretation is used to reduce the negative feelings associated with it.
- Example: 이번 일은 좋은 경험을 한 셈 치세요.
Romanization: i-beon i-reun jo-eun gyeong-heo-meul han sem chi-se-yo
Translation: Just treat this as having gained some valuable experience.
This is often used to comfort someone when the result did not turn out as hoped. - Example: 비싼 수업료를 낸 셈 쳐요.
Romanization: bi-ssan su-eop-ryo-reul naen sem chyeo-yo
Translation: Just think of it as having paid expensive tuition.
Here, 「수업료」 does not refer to actual course tuition. It refers to the price paid for a failure. - Example: 실수도 배우는 과정인 셈 치면 돼요.
Romanization: sil-su-do bae-u-neun gwa-jeong-in sem chi-myeon dwae-yo
Translation: You can just treat mistakes as part of the learning process.
This does not deny the mistake. It temporarily places the mistake within the learning process as a way of understanding it.
Usage ② of 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」｜Comforting yourself or someone else by treating the result differently
「-는 셈 치다」 often functions as a way of mentally adjusting one’s perspective. The speaker may know that reality is not ideal, but chooses to use “just think of it as…” to reduce the sense of disappointment.
- Example: 오늘 많이 걸었으니까 운동한 셈 치죠.
Romanization: o-neul ma-ni geo-reo-sseu-ni-kka un-dong-han sem chi-jyo
Translation: We walked a lot today, so let’s just count it as exercise.
This sentence reinterprets walking as an exercise result. - Example: 못 산 건 돈을 아낀 셈 치세요.
Romanization: mot san geon do-neul a-kkin sem chi-se-yo
Translation: If you couldn’t buy it, just think of it as having saved money.
This reinterprets not being able to buy something from a more positive angle. - Example: 기다린 동안 푹 쉰 셈 치면 돼요.
Romanization: gi-da-rin dong-an puk swin sem chi-myeon dwae-yo
Translation: Just think of the time you spent waiting as a chance to get some good rest.
This temporarily treats time already spent waiting as rest time.
Usage ③ of 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」｜Temporarily treating the current stage as practice or preparation
This pattern can also be used to persuade someone to accept a compromise. The tone is usually not forceful. It is closer to saying, “If you look at it another way, just treat it as….”
- Example: 오늘은 연습하는 셈 치고 가볍게 해요.
Romanization: o-neu-reun yeon-seu-pa-neun sem chi-go ga-byeop-ge hae-yo
Translation: Let’s treat today as practice and take it easy.
This reduces pressure over the outcome and shifts the focus to practice. - Example: 이번 달은 준비 기간인 셈 치고 천천히 하세요.
Romanization: i-beon da-reun jun-bi gi-ga-nin sem chi-go cheon-cheon-hi ha-se-yo
Translation: Treat this month as a preparation period and take things slowly.
「준비 기간인 셈」 positions the present as a preparation stage. - Example: 그 돈은 투자금인 셈 치는 게 낫겠어요.
Romanization: geu do-neun tu-ja-geum-in sem chi-neun ge nat-get-seo-yo
Translation: It would probably be better to think of that money as an investment.
This temporarily treats money that has already been spent as an investment cost.
Korean 「셈이다」 vs 「셈 치다」: how do judgment and assumption differ in nuance?
| Expression | Core nuance | English meaning | Example |
| -(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다 | Infers or summarizes a result based on the existing situation | can be considered, amounts to | 이 정도면 성공한 셈이에요 |
| -(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다 | The speaker knows it is not entirely true but temporarily chooses to view it that way | treat it as, just think of it as | 좋은 경험을 한 셈 치세요 |
| Expression | Core nuance | English meaning | Example |
| -는 셈이다 | Can be regarded as, effectively is | amounts to | 거의 성공한 셈이에요 |
| -는 셈 치다 | Treat it as, temporarily regard it as | treat it as | 경험한 셈 치세요 |
▌「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다」｜Drawing a conclusion from the existing situation
✅ 이 정도면 성공한 셈이에요.
Translation: At this level, it can be considered a success.
This sentence judges the situation as being roughly equivalent to success.
▌「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」｜Knowing it is not entirely true but choosing to view it that way anyway
✅이번 일은 좋은 경험을 한 셈 치세요.
Translation: Just treat this as having gained some valuable experience.
This sentence is not judging the outcome based on certain conditions. Instead, it suggests that the other person temporarily regard an unsatisfactory result as a learning experience.
Everyday examples of Korean 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」: shopping, travel, and work situations
This expression often appears when friends comfort each other, when a purchase goes wrong, when travel plans fail, or when something at work is treated as practice. The tone is generally gentle, with the sense of “things have already turned out this way, so let’s look at them from another angle.”
▌Situation ①｜When something you wanted to buy is sold out
A：사고 싶던 가방이 품절됐어요.
sa-go sip-tteon ga-bang-i pum-jeol-dwae-sseo-yo
The bag I wanted to buy is sold out.
B：돈을 아낀 셈 치세요.
do-neul a-kkin sem chi-se-yo
Just think of it as having saved money.
📌 Grammar Point: 「아낀 셈 치다」 reframes not being able to buy something as having saved money.
▌Situation ②｜When travel plans do not work out
A：오늘 비 때문에 아무 데도 못 갔어요.
o-neul bi ttae-mu-ne a-mu de-do mot ga-sseo-yo
I couldn’t go anywhere today because of the rain.
B：푹 쉰 셈 치면 되죠.
puk swin sem chi-myeon doe-jyo
We can just think of it as having had a good rest.
📌 Grammar Point: 「쉰 셈 치다」 reframes a failed itinerary as rest.
▌Situation ③｜Practice at work
A：결과가 별로라서 속상해요.
gyeol-gwa-ga byeol-lo-ra-seo sok-sang-hae-yo
I’m disappointed because the result wasn’t very good.
B：오늘은 연습한 셈 치고 다음에 다시 해요.
o-neu-reun yeon-seup-han sem chi-go da-eu-me da-si hae bwa-yo
Let’s treat today as practice and try again next time.
📌 Grammar Point: 「연습한 셈 치다」 temporarily treats this unsatisfactory result as practice. It does not mean that the result itself has already met the required standard.
Cultural Notes:
- 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 can be used when friends comfort each other. The point is usually not to insist that the situation was actually good, but to suggest viewing an already completed result in a different way for the time being.
- 「수업료」 is often used metaphorically for the cost of failure, expressing the idea that a loss or failure was the price paid for learning a lesson.
- 「셈 치다」 carries a sense of subjectively redefining a situation, so it is not suitable for stating precise facts.
How can Korean 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 be understood in comparison with Japanese 「〜と思うことにする」?
◆ Similar expression: Japanese 「〜と思うことにする」
Japanese does not have one fixed pattern that can directly replace Korean 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 in every situation. When expressing the idea of “deciding to understand something that has already happened in a different way,” 「〜と思うことにする」 can be used. Depending on the context, 「〜たことにする」 or 「〜だと思う」 may also be used, and the most appropriate expression varies according to the sentence.
- Example: いい経験だったと思うことにしましょう。
Kana: いいけいけんだったとおもうことにしましょう。
Translation: Let’s decide to think of it as a good experience.
「と思うことにする」 expresses actively deciding to interpret something in a different way and is relatively close to 「좋은 경험을 한 셈 치다」 when used to comfort someone. - Example: 勉強代だと思いましょう。
Kana: べんきょうだいだとおもいましょう。
Translation: Let’s think of it as the price of a lesson learned.
Here, 「勉強代」 does not refer to actual tuition. It means the price paid for a failure or a mistaken judgment, giving it a nuance similar to Korean 「비싼 수업료를 낸 셈 치다」.
◆ Core difference from 「-는 셈 치다」:
Korean 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 itself already carries the meaning of “temporarily count it as” or “temporarily regard it as.” Japanese, by contrast, does not have a completely fixed one-to-one equivalent, so the speaker must choose among 「〜と思うことにする」「〜たことにする」 and 「〜だと思う」 depending on the context. The important point is to first determine whether the sentence expresses a psychological reinterpretation of the situation or simply a decision.
Korean 「-(으)ㄴ/는 셈 치다」 does not simply mean “can be considered.” It actively treats the situation in front of the speaker as a different result for the time being. 「셈이다」 is used to make a judgment based on the situation, while 「셈 치다」 adds the act of “just looking at it that way for now.” When you encounter situations involving wasted money, missed plans, or disappointing results, checking whether the sentence is describing an objective outcome or giving the situation a temporarily acceptable reinterpretation makes it easier to distinguish the two patterns.
FAQs
It can be used in conversation and semi-formal explanations, but it is most commonly seen in everyday conversation, especially when comforting someone or giving advice.
「셈」 can mean calculation, situation, intention, and related ideas. In this pattern, it can be understood as “counting something as a certain situation.”
Not completely. 「-는 셈이다」 is closer to “amounts to” or “effectively is,” while 「-는 셈 치다」 is closer to “just treat it as,” with a stronger subjective and comforting nuance.
Not necessarily, but it often appears in unsatisfactory situations or situations that require a change in perspective because it functions to reinterpret reality.
Not necessarily. It is often metaphorical, meaning that a loss or failure is treated as the price paid for learning a lesson.