그

• IPA^(key): /kɨ/

그 (geu)

1. (demonstrative) that

그 (geu) is used for items closer to the listener than to the speaker, and 저 (jeo) is used for items far from both the speaker and the listener

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 그 (Yale: kù).

The 3rd-person pronoun sense is widely believed to be introduced together with 그녀 (geunyeo) by Kim Dong-in in the early 20th century,^[1] probably calque of Japanese 彼(かれ) (kare), which became a personal pronoun in addition to a demonstrative pronoun due to the influence of European languages. However, the demonstratives 이〮 (í), 그 (ku), and 뎌〮 (tyé) were all used occasionally in Middle Korean as 3rd person pronouns as well.^[2]

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

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• Phonetic hangul:

그 • (geu)

1. (demonstrative) that (of what has been already said or known)

   그 남자는 일본인입니까 아니면 중국인입니까? ― 그는 중국인입니다.

   geu namjaneun ilboninimnikka animyeon jungguginimnikka? ― geuneun jungguginimnida.

   Is that man Japanese or Chinese? ― He is Chinese.

   근데 방금 그 여자 누구에요?

   geunde banggeum geu yeoja nugueyo?

   By the way, who is that girl?

   그 사람들은 가족입니다. ― Geu saramdeureun gajogimnida. ― Those people are family.

그 (geu) is used for items closer to the listener than to the speaker, and 저 (jeo) is used for items far from both the speaker and the listener

• 그것 (geugeot, “that thing”)
• 그곳 (geugot, “that place”)
• 그때 (geuttae, “that moment”)
• 그대로 (geudaero, “like that”)
• 그렇다 (geureota, “to be that way”)
• 그이 (geu'i, “he”)
• 그놈 (geunom, “he”) (insulting)
• 그놈들 (geunomdeul, “they”) (insulting)
• 그년 (geunyeon, “she”) (insulting)

• 이 (i, “this”)
• 저 (jeo, “that”)

그 • (geu)

1. (literary) he, she

   그는 아무런 말도 없이 가버렸다.

   geuneun amureon maldo eopsi gabeoryeotda.

   He/She left without saying anything.

그녀 (geunyeo, “she”) is an explicitly feminine third-person pronoun.

그 is never used as a pronoun in colloquial Korean. See 걔 (gyae, “he; she”) for the colloquial pronoun.

• (demonstrative, that): 저 (jeo)

• (antonym(s) of “demonstrative, this”): 이 (i)

• 그녀 (geunyeo, “she”)
• 그들 (geudeul, “they”)
• 그네들 (geunedeul, “they”)