”빈손으로 오기 뭐하잖아요“ I’m guessing translates to (asking in a rhetorical manner) “What are you doing coming empty- handed.(?)” I just don’t understand how the grammar is constructed or how it is technically grammatical. Any insight will be appreciated:)

  • 뭐하다 (adjective) is used to express "to be awkwardly reluctant in the manner that is difficult to express but feeling awkard or inappropriate" It is almost always used in the declarative voice. (Not in question, command or suggestion)

    [It is not a verb in this sentence. It is an adjective. Verb definition of 뭐하다 is irrelevant.]

    • 만날 때 마다 잔소리하는 것도 뭐해서 (It's awkward/uncomfortable nagging at him every time we meet, so...)
    • 하기는 싫고 안 하기도 뭐하고 한데... (I don't really want to do it, but it feels awkward/inapproapriate not doing it either....)

    빈손으로 오다 is an idiom = To come emptyhanded (when visiting someone else), without bringing presents/gifts.

    -아잖아(요) is a common sentence-ending conjugation to ask/assume the listener's agreement. Similar to English colloquial expression "You know"

    빈손으로 오기 뭐하잖아요 would then mean: "You know, something doesn't feel write / it feels awkward to come empty-handed"

    parent

    I had no idea there was an adjective form 😮 That makes so much sense now… I just kept looking at it as a verb construction “뭐 하다“ - thank you so much for the explanation!

    parent root

  • '빈손으로 오다' means to come empty-handed, and '뭐하다' literally means to be/do/feel + what/something, but in this context, it has a negative nuance.

    So the sentence translates to: I felt a bit awkward coming empty-handed. (So I brought a gift for you.)

    parent

  • 부끄럽다 머쓱하다 눈치보인다 쑥스럽다 and so forth, 뭐하다 뭣하다 these words intimates such words.

    parent

  • Just memorize it as a phrase.

    빈손으로 오기 뭐 하잖아요.
    빈손으로 오기 뭐 해서요.
    빈손으로 오기 좀 그래서요.

    parent