고동

First attested in the Bang'eon yuseok (방언유석 / 方言類釋), 1778, as Early Modern Korean 고동 (Yale: kwotwong).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

고동 • (godong)

1. conch (shellfish)

• 고동 (godong), which is also the etymologically older form, is more common in actual speech than 고둥 (godung). However, the latter is the Standard Korean form found in prescriptive dictionaries.

• 고둥 (godung) — Standard Korean

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

고동 • (godong)

1. mechanical warning sound, e.g. a foghorn (especially for cars, ships, etc.)

   Synonym: 경적(警笛) (gyeongjeok)

2. (dated) device which triggers a machine to start
   • 1934, 현진건 , 赤(적)道(도) :

     기차가 고동을 틀고 움직이기 시작할 때 어른어른 뒷걸음을 치며 물러가는 플랫폼과 수많은 전송꾼을 보고 나는 울었소.

     Gicha-ga godong-eul teulgo umjigigi sijakhal ttae eoreuneoreun dwitgeoreum-eul chimyeo mulleoganeun peullaetpom-gwa sumaneun jeonsongkkun-eul bogo na-neun ureotso.

     When the train turned its lever and began to move, I wept as I saw how the platforms, and the countless people who came to say goodbye, were withdrawing, taking backward steps on and off.

3. (figurative) trigger; catalyst

Sino-Korean word from 鼓動 (“drumming and moving”).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

고동 • (godong) (hanja 鼓動)

1. beating of the heart, especially loud
   • 2017, “경두 ”, in 첫사랑 , 문학동네 , →ISBN, page 83:

     조는 척하고 있었지만 네가 그 자리에 있는 것처럼 가슴이 뛰었다. 그 고동 소리를 듣고 청년이 내게로 온다면 나는 나도 모르게 잘못했다고 빌 것 같았다.

     Joneun cheok-hago isseotjiman ne-ga geu jari-e inneun geot-cheoreom gaseum-i ttwieotda. Geu godong sori-reul deutgo cheongnyeon-i nae-ge-ro onda-myeon na-neun na-do moreuge jalmot-haetda-go bil geot gatatda.

     I was pretending to doze off, but my heart was beating as if you were there. If the young man came to me, having heard the sound of that pounding of my heart, I would have begged for forgiveness in spite of myself.

2. (uncommon) drumming and dancing

Sino-Korean word from 古董 (“antique”).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

고동 • (godong) (hanja 古董)

1. (uncommon) alternative form of 골동(骨董) (goldong, “antique”)