개

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See also: -개
개 U+AC1C, 개
HANGUL SYLLABLE GAE
Composition:ㄱ + ㅐ
← 갛
 		Hangul Syllables 객 →
개객갞갟갠갡갢
갣갤갥갦갧갨갩
갪갫갬갭갮갯갰
갱갲갳갴갵갶갷
가 ←→ 갸

Jeju

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?gae
Revised Romanization (translit.)?gae
Yale Romanization?kay

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle Korean 가히〮 (kàhí), from Old Korean 犬伊 (*KAhi).

Noun

개 (gae)

  1. dog

Etymology 2

From Middle Korean 개〮 (káy).

Noun

개 (gae)

  1. inlet, estuary

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 家稀. From Old Korean 犬伊 (*KAhi).

In the Hangul script, first attested in the Worin cheon'gangjigok (月印千江之曲 / 월인천강지곡), 1449, as Middle Korean 가히〮 (Yale: kàhí), and subsequently recorded as 개〯 (Yale: kǎy) in the 16th century, after the h had dropped.

The prefix derives from the noun. Compare English bitch.

개
A dog

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.
Romanizations
Revised Romanization?gae
Revised Romanization (translit.)?gae
McCune–Reischauer?kae
Yale Romanization?kāy
  • South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 개의 / 개에 / 개까지

    Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes low pitch, and heightens the pitch of two subsequent suffixed syllables.

Noun

개 • (gae) (counter 마리)

  1. dog
  2. (figuratively, derogatory) someone behaves badly
    걔는 술 취하면 개가 돼. (colloquial)
    Gyae-neun sul chwiha-myeon gae-ga dwae.
    He becomes a total wreck when he's drunk
  3. (figuratively) someone who does the bidding of another
Usage notes
  • Some younger speakers prefer 강아지 (gang'aji, “puppy”) to refer to dogs of any age, to avoid the vulgar connotations of the prefix.
Derived terms
Related terms
See also

Prefix

개— • (gae-)

  1. (vulgar, slang) fucking (as an intensifier)
    진짜 개좋다.
    Jinjja gaejota.
    It's fucking good.
    진짜 개쩐다!
    Jinjja gaejjeonda!
    It's fucking amazing!
  2. wild; worthless; of inferior quality
Usage notes

The prefix traditionally has a disparaging meaning only, but in modern slang it is used as a general vulgar intensifier regardless of the semantics involved.

Derived terms
Derived terms

Etymology 2

First attested in the Bullyu dugongbu si eonhae (分類杜工部詩諺解 / 분류두공부시언해), 1481, as Middle Korean 개〮 (Yale: káy).

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?gae
Revised Romanization (translit.)?gae
McCune–Reischauer?kae
Yale Romanization?kay

Noun

개 • (gae)

  1. inlet; estuary
Derived terms
Derived terms
See also

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 個.

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?gae
Revised Romanization (translit.)?gae
McCune–Reischauer?kae
Yale Romanization?kay

Counter

개 • (gae) (hanja 個/箇/介)

  1. general counter for objects: item, piece, article
Derived terms

Etymology 4

See the main entries.

Verb

개 • (gae)

  1. An infinitive form of 개다 (gaeda, “to clear”)
  2. An infinitive form of 개다 (gaeda, “to fold”)
  3. An infinitive form of 개다 (gaeda, “to knead”)

Etymology 5

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

개 (gae)

Extended content
  1. 改: reform; fix
    (eumhun reading: 고칠 개 (gochil gae))
    (MC reading: 改 (MC kojX))
  2. 皆: (literary) all; every; everybody
    (MC reading: 皆 (MC keaj))
  3. 個: a piece; a unit; an item
    (eumhun reading: 낱 개 (nat gae))
    (MC reading: 個 (MC kaH))
  4. 開: open
    (eumhun reading: 열 개 (yeol gae))
    (MC reading: 開 (MC khoj))
  5. 介: mediate; herald; sea shell; to wear armor
    (MC reading: 介 (MC keajH))
  6. 慨:
    (MC reading: 慨 (MC khojH))
  7. 槪: approximately
    (eumhun reading: 대개 개 (daegae gae))
    (MC reading: 槪)
  8. 蓋: cover
    (eumhun reading: 덮을 개 (deopeul gae))
    (MC reading: 蓋 (MC kajH))
  9. 价:
    (MC reading: 价 (MC keajH))
  10. 凱:
    (MC reading: 凱 (MC khojX))
  11. 愷: enjoy; peaceful
    (MC reading: 愷 (MC khojX))
  12. 漑:
    (MC reading: 漑 (MC kʌiH))
  13. 塏: highland; high and dry (of place)
    (MC reading: 塏 (MC khojX))
  14. 愾:
    (MC reading: 愾 (MC khojH))
  15. 疥: scabies, itch
    (MC reading: 疥 (MC keajH))
  16. 芥:
    (MC reading: 芥 (MC keajH))
  17. 豈: an interjection of surprise
    (eumhun reading: 승전악 개 (seungjeonak gae))
    (MC reading: 豈 (MC khj+jX))
  18. 鎧:
    (MC reading: 鎧 (MC khojX|khojH))
  19. 玠:
    (MC reading: 玠 (MC keajH))
  20. 剴:
    (MC reading: 剴 (MC koj))
  21. 匃:
    (MC reading: 匃 (MC kajH))
  22. 揩:
    (MC reading: 揩 (MC kheaj|kheajH))
  23. 槩:
    (MC reading: 槩 (MC kojH))
  24. 磕: bump; drumbeat
    (MC reading: 磕 (MC khajH))
  25. 闓:
    (MC reading: 闓 (MC khojX|khojH))
  26. 丐: beggar
    (eumhun reading: 빌 개 (bil gae))
    (MC reading: 丐 (MC kajH))
  27. 箇: Alternative form of 個
  28. 个: Alternative form of 個
  29. 盖: Alternative form of 蓋

References

  1. ^ Lee, Ki-Moon, Ramsey, S. Robert (2011) A History of the Korean Language, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 163–164

Middle Korean

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

개〮 (káy) (locative 개〮예〮 (káy-yéy))

  1. inlet; estuary
Descendants
  • Korean: 개 (gae)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

개〯 (kǎy) (locative 개〯예〮 (kǎy-yéy))

  1. Alternative form of 가히〮 (kàhí, “dog”)
Descendants
  • Korean: 개 (gae)
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