Questions tagged [vocabulary]
General questions about word meanings, or finding an appropriate word.
202
questions
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Meaning of proverb 어물전 망신은 꼴뚜기가 시킨다
What is this 속담 (어물전 망신은 꼴뚜기가 시킨다) supposed to mean? What is its literal meaning? From what I understand, it is sort of an equivalent of the English proverb "one bad apple spoils the bunch", ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
Words similar to 대여섯?
I know that 대여섯 means five or six, but I'm wondering why the '대' takes the meaning of 'five' here? Are there other words similar to this that mean 'A and A+1'. Thanks a lot.
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Meaning of 머슴살이 and origin?
I've come across the word 머슴살이 and read in the dictionary that it means doing farm work. But looking around on the internet I'm not sure if there's some sort of historical meaning associated with the ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Meaning of 마지노선?
I'd like to know about the meaning and usage of 마지노선. Of course, I know that this literally means Maginot Line, but I also know it must have another meaning for everyday conversation.
I saw this in a ...
1
vote
2answers
204 views
Meaning of 열악하다?
Just a simple question this time! :D What is the meaning of 열악하다? From what I figured it means poor (quality) or to be deteriorated, but I'd like to check what it means.
Thanks in advance!
3
votes
2answers
145 views
Meaning of 농담이 심하다
This expression appeared on my vocabulary textbook as a collocation of the word "joke" 농담(弄談).
What I could not understand is the exact meaning of 심하다(甚하다) in this collocation. Does is it ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
What app do you prefer for flashcard use, pre-made?
There are plenty of Topik and flashcard apps but I'm being picky. I want decks of smaller sizes that cover most of the TOPIK books.
I specifically want an app that keeps track of the flashcards I don'...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Meaning and grammar of 매달리다 and hand gestures
In this song lyrics there is the phrase "이제와 울고불고 매달리지마". What I can get from the sentence is something on the lines of "quit crying around", but I am not sure. Also, what role does the particle 와 ...
1
vote
3answers
153 views
Meaning/usage of 찰떡같이?
I was watching a drama today and heard the idiom '찰떡같이 말했는데 개떡같이 알아듣는다' being used. What is the meaning of this idiom and when can it be used? Also, what is the general meaning of 찰떡같이? Thanks :)
...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
봉인해제 meaning/usage
Today, I heard somebody talking about their diet and body transformation. After describing how they've dieted, they proceeded to say '이제 봉인해제'. Literally, I translate this as 'now the seal is the ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Meaning of 코딱지만하다
I'm was watching a drama and came across '코딱지만하다'. I've found out that this means 'tiny' but what is the origin of this word? From what I know, 코딱지 = booger and 만하다 = to be worthy of, but how would ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
Please Help Me Break Down This Sentence “엄마가 다그치는 바람에 어쩔 수 없이 사실을 털어놓았다”
i already know:
엄마 - mother
어쩔 수 없다 - inevitable/ can't be helped
사실 - the truth
what are:
다그치?
바람에 (the wind?)
털어놓았다?
2
votes
1answer
24 views
What term or terms are used for “at home worker”?
What term or terms are used for "at home worker" or "remote position"?
Some examples of desired usage include:
I work out of my home.
These days, it's hard to find a seat at the ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
Difference between 복종 and 순종?
I see both 복종 and 순종 defined as obey, but surely there is a difference. Is the difference in formality; like, it's situational somehow where 순종 is with parents and 복종 is with law?
0
votes
2answers
173 views
What's the diference between 물어보다 and 물어봐요
What's the diference between 물어보다 and 물어봐요, would you like to give me examples too?
1
vote
2answers
77 views
What does 누명을 씌워서 mean?
I mostly understand this sentence:
이 경우는 사람들이 우리에게 억울하게 "누명을 씌워서" 법정으로까지 끌고 가는 것 이다
To loosely translate my understanding:
In this situation, people are unfairly "framing" us and dragging us ...
2
votes
2answers
141 views
What does 년대 mean?
I found an anki deck with 1000 most common words (I have to translate them to english on my own) but I couldn't find much information about the meaning of this one. One resource mentioned it means "...
1
vote
1answer
101 views
What does 폭탄마냥 means?
To be exact 폭탄마냥 as in 폭탄마냥 보고 있다.
But 폭탄 means bomb, so i assume it is probably some kind of idiom and not literally means bomb in that context?
Edit: i attached 2 example of '...폭탄마냥 보고 있다.'
(https:...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
Where can I find original constituents of compound words?
English compound words are clear in the sense that one can understand their constituents:
notebook
dinner table
long-term
As you can see, there are at least three types of compound words in ...
1
vote
0answers
49 views
How can I recognize a romanized word after learning the Korean Alphabet? [closed]
I know how to write and pronounce the Korean Alphabet (Hangul). However, whenever I want to type/say something, I have to be aware that some words are romanized or changed into something else. For ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
Any good online alternative for “Handbook of Korean Vocabulary”
I am referring to this book titled "Handbook of Korean Vocabulary: A Resource for Word Recognition and Comprehension":
https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/...
-1
votes
1answer
77 views
What is the difference between 싸우다 and 싸움하다?
Both are translated as fight, struggle. Can both be used to mean "quarrel"?
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Question about this Korean slang term
Can someone help?
A friend of mine came across this term.
하나 만들지
His girlfriend from Korea texted it to a friend when she was visiting the US. He thinks it might be very derogatory and even racist. ...
5
votes
1answer
155 views
Do Korean share more vocabulary with Chinese or Japanese?
I wonder which of Chinese and Japanese Korean share more vocabulary with. I investigated it but it seems that the estimated percentage of shared vocabulary varies so much. For example according to the ...
1
vote
1answer
855 views
Is there a list of the number of required vocabulary for each TOPIK level?
I wonder if there is any research on how many vocabulary is required for each TOPIK level. It should be something like the following:
TOPIK 1: 1000 words
TOPIK 2: 2500 words
TOPIK 3...
...
...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
What does 제까짓 게 means?
I found this sentence '제까짓 게 어쩌껬어',
I know what 어쩌겠어 is but i can't figure out what it possibly means because there's not much example for '제까짓 게' and i couldn't find the meaning of that word
1
vote
1answer
105 views
Somebody else's relatives
Is there any site where I can see how somebody else's relatives are called?
Do all relatives' name vary if they are my relatives or somebody else's relatives?
I mean, for example, it's not the same ...
2
votes
1answer
357 views
Formal and informal words for sexual body parts
Which are the formal and the informal words for these parts?
(My dictionary gives me lots of words but I don't know which are the most frequently used ones and if they are polite or not)
Penis = 페니스 /...
3
votes
2answers
276 views
What does 복사본 mean?
What does 복사본 mean?
According to Wordreference it means a carbon copy. Does that mean a literal copy made with carbon paper or just an exact copy?
Also, according to google translate both 복사 and 사본 ...
5
votes
2answers
394 views
Family-in-law terms
Are these terms OK?
Father-in-law (my wife's father) = 장인 어른
Father-in-law (my husband's father) = 아버님
Mother-in-law (my wife's mother) = 장모님
Mother-in-law (my husband's mother) = 어머님
Brother-in-...
2
votes
1answer
153 views
Social media related vocabulary
How can we say the verb 'post,' as in 'I posted this on Instagram?'
Similarly, what is the noun used for 'post,' as in 'I saw your Facebook post?'
1
vote
1answer
111 views
What is "top (women's type of clothing) called in Korean?
I would like to know how is "top" (see photo: women's type of clothing for upper part of the body) called in Korean.
I've searched in the dictionary, but the results don't match with what I want.
...
3
votes
4answers
602 views
What is the difference between 태자빈 and 황태자비?
So this is what i get from naver dict:
태자빈 太子嬪 [태자빈]
- 황태자의 아내.
황태자비 皇太子妃
- 황태자의 아내.
Both mean the same but from the book where I found these words, it seemed they had different meanings. Even ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
What is the meaning of 의전서열?
I know the meaning of each word is
서열 序列
rank, grade
의전 儀典
ceremony, formality, protocol, etiquette as practiced on diplomatic occasions
But i couldn't find the best term in english
2
votes
1answer
120 views
How precisely can one define what “trot/ 트로트 / 트롯” music is?
Music genres can be defined in all sorts of ways. Some genre names refer to something quite precise; some genres are harder to pin down.
How precisely can one define what "trot/ 트로트 / 트롯" music is? I ...
3
votes
1answer
165 views
What are these Bath Bomb ingredients called in Korean?
I think they're the following translations but I am not sure if it's the common way of saying it at like a 시장(market).
중조/Baking Soda
구연산/Citric Acid
옥수수 전분/Cornstarch
엡섬 소금/엡솜솔트/엡솜염/Epsom Salt
...
5
votes
2answers
389 views
What is the difference between 서고 and 도서관?
I know 도서관 is commonly used, but it's my first time hearing 서고 and the meaning is also library. Is there any differences between them?
0
votes
1answer
199 views
what do these words mean? 들어군요, 찬다는, 하다가제, 어케, 몰아가기,정, 천리마띠로,묶는, 이내, 정조 글씨
들어군요, 찬다는, 하다가제, 어케, 몰아가기,정, 천리마띠로,묶는, 이내, 정조 글씨
동기 언니가 CCTV 확인해 보자고 확인하러 가려는 찰나에 갑자기 동기 오빠가 손을 [[슥]] 들어군요.
그래서 제가 자리에 멈춰서 쳐다만 보고 있으니까 기가 [[찬다는]] 표정으로
그래서 아 저는 진짜 진짜 괜찮다고 이런 실랑이를 계속 [[하다가제]] 등을 ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What's a natural way to say that someone works somewhere (for a job)?
Normally I would use 일 하다 to express that I (or someone else) works somewhere - e.g. 나는 출판사에서 일한다. But I wonder if this is a bit 'childish', or if it focuses on the action of working rather than the ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
What does 사자 in this picture mean?
I didn't find any translation that matches the context, like "lion, envoy or emissary" since that sentence was used for an oath in front of the emperor. Or was it a lion as a symbol for the emperor?
...
6
votes
3answers
678 views
What does “짐” mean?
Not as a burden, luggage, etc. I noticed it as a way of a king/emperor to refer someone, does it mean to refer it as himself or the other person he talk to?
2
votes
2answers
146 views
What is the meaning of 겉껍데기?
I look it up on korean dict that 겉껍데기 stands for 겉으로 드러난 껍데기, but is it some kind of idiom or something? I'm not sure if it's literally mean shell. Or is it just a word that used to tease someone?
3
votes
3answers
482 views
What is the difference between 기왕이면 and 이왕이면?
What is the difference between 기왕이면 and 이왕이면? And can you give the examples?
2
votes
1answer
81 views
How do you use 그보다?
I tried to look for it's meaning but mostly they explain it as a comparative word.
Before that i found this sentence "그보다 오늘 있잖아~."
But it doesn't seems like comparative sentence, then again i don't ...
6
votes
2answers
170 views
Reference request: Chinese root of Korean
I have been a user of StackExchange for more than a year, but am a new user of Korean Language SE. If my post does not meet the requirements of this site, please kindly offer me an opportunity to edit ...
3
votes
2answers
603 views
how I can say I am dizzy in korean : 자꾸 어지러워?
I am a beginner in Korean and I just started learning one week ago. I am still in A1 and I want to say this in korean:
I am dizzy
I found this way: 자꾸 어지러워
and its pronunciation is : jakku ...
2
votes
2answers
223 views
In the expression '탈코르셋', what is the meaning of '탈'?
As I understand it, '탈코르셋' is a name given to a current wave of feeling in Korea against objectification of women, unattainable standards of beauty, etc. I assume '코르셋' is the English word 'Corset', ...
4
votes
4answers
156 views
Difference between 당신이 잠든 사이 and 당신이 잠든 사이에
There are two Korean TV shows with titles that were translated as "While You Were Sleeping" in English. What's the difference between them?
당신이 잠든 사이
당신이 잠든 사이에
1
vote
1answer
53 views
How can I use 신스틸 하다?
I came across the verb '신스틸 하다', which seems to be derived from the English 'scene-stealing'.
Is this something that can be used in a metaphorical way about everyday life, or does it only apply to ...
5
votes
3answers
621 views
Addressing someone on the street you have never met and who is of ambiguous age
I was visiting Korea (강원도 춘천시) recently and needed to ask directions to a building on a college campus. (강원대학교 for those who are interested). I was on foot and I did not immediately see a campus map ...
