골

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 골〯 (Yale: kwǒl). The rising pitch implies an earlier bisyllabic origin.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

골 • (gol)

1. gorge; gully; valley; alley
2. ditch; drain; furrow
3. cave; hole; hollow
4. (figurative) division, discord

   양국 간의 골이 깊어지다

   yangguk gan-ui gor-i gipeojida

   the discord between the two countries becomes more severe

Derived terms

Etymology 2

First attested in the Sinjeung yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576, as Middle Korean 골 (Yale: kwol). Perhaps ultimately cognate with Sino-Korean 골(骨) (gol).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

골 • (gol)

1. bone marrow

   Synonyms: 뼛골 (ppyeotgol), 뼛속 (ppyeotsok)

2. brain

   Synonyms: (Sino-Korean) 뇌(腦) (noe), 머릿골 (meoritgol)

Derived terms

• 머릿골 (meoritgol, “brain”)
• 뼛골 (ppyeotgol, “bone marrow”)

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 骨, from the Middle Korean reading 골〮 (Yale: kwól).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

골 • (gol) (hanja 骨)

1. bone

   Synonym: (native Korean) 뼈 (ppyeo)

2. (historical) bone-rank system

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 骨 for Sino-Korean compounds of 골 (骨, gol).

Etymology 4

Borrowed from English goal.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

골 • (gol)

1. (sports) goal

   골을 득점하다

   gor-eul deukjeomhada

   to score a goal

Derived terms

• 골인 (gorin)

Middle Korean

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kǒl/

Noun

골〯 (kwǒl)

1. gorge; vale; valley
2. ditch
3. cave; hole

Descendants

• Korean: 골 (gol)