가지

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 가지〮 (Yale: kàcí), from Old Korean 種叱 (*KAc).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul:

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 가지의 / 가지에 / 가지까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch on both syllables, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Dependent noun

가지 • (gaji)

1. kind, sort; variety

   이 문제를 푸는 데에는 몇 가지 방법이 있다. ― I munje-reul puneun de-e-neun myeot gaji bangbeob-i itda. ― There is a variety of ways to solve this problem.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 가〮지 (Yale: kácì). From Old Korean 枝次 (*KAci).

Originally a suffixed form of Middle Korean 갖〮 (kác, “id.”), which was already uncommon by the 15th century.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul:

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 가지의 / 가지에 / 가지까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch on both syllables, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

가지 • (gaji)

1. (also figuratively) twig or branch

   가지를 치다/뻗다

   gaji-reul chida/ppeotda

   to spread branches

   가지를 치다/자르다

   gaji-reul chida/jareuda

   to prune branches

   가지가 바람에 살랑살랑 흔들린다.

   Gaji-ga baram-e sallangsallang heundeullinda.

   The branches gently sway in the wind.

2. (nativising coinage) Synonym of 접사(接辭) (jeopsa, “(linguistics) affix”)

Derived terms

Etymology 3

First attested in the Gugeupganibang eonhae (救急簡易方諺解 / 구급간이방언해), 1489, as Middle Korean 가지 (Yale: kàcì).

Nativisation of the Sino-Korean term 가자 (茄子, gaja), ultimately from Middle Chinese 茄子 (MC gja|kae tsiX).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul:

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 가지의 / 가지에 / 가지까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, except before consonant-initial multisyllabic suffixes, when it takes full low pitch.

Noun

가지 • (gaji)

1. eggplant/aubergine

Derived terms

• 가지색 (gajisaek)

Etymology 4

Sino-Korean word from 可知.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Noun

가지 • (gaji) (hanja 可知)

1. (formal) being able to know

   Antonym: 불가지(不可知) (bulgaji)

See also

• 불문가지(不問可知) (bulmun'gaji)

Etymology 5

Verb

가지 • (gaji)

1. suspective of 가다 (gada, “to go”)

References