끌다

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 그ᅀᅳ다〮 (Yale: kùzù-tá), from pre-MK *kùsùk-, a form preserved in many dialects; compare Jeolla Korean 끄슥다 (kkeuseukda), Gyeongsang Korean 끄시다 (kkeusida), Yukjin Korean 끄스다 (kkeuseuda).

The modern Standard Korean form is highly irregular, involving not only spontaneous initial tensing (a common if irregular process in Korean) but an inexplicable addition of /l/; the expected reflex is *그다 (*geuda) or *끄다 (*kkeuda). The same irregular shift occurred somewhat earlier in 이끌다 (ikkeulda, “to lead”), which probably affected this verb's development.

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

끌다 • (kkeulda) (infinitive 끌어, sequential 끄니) (transitive)

1. to pull, to draw, to drag

   의자를 끌다 ― uija-reul kkeulda ― to drag a chair

   수레를 끌다 ― sure-reul kkeulda ― to pull a wagon

   저수지 물을 끌어오다 ― jeosuji mur-eul kkeureooda ― to draw water from a reservoir

   자전거를 끌다 ― jajeon'geo-reul kkeulda ― to drag a bicycle

2. (of people, animals) to lead, to drag

   애들을 끌고 병원에 가다 ― ae-deur-eul kkeulgo byeong'won-e gada ― to drag the kids to the hospital

3. (with no object) to drag on

   영화가 질질 끈다 ― yeonghwa-ga jiljil kkeunda ― the movie drags on tediously

4. to stall, to delay

   시간을 끌다 ― sigan-eul kkeulda ― to stall for time

5. (figurative) to draw, to attract

   관광객을 끌다 ― gwan'gwanggaeg-eul kkeulda ― to draw tourists

   관심을 끌다 ― gwansim-eul kkeulda ― to draw attention

6. (figurative) to draw (inspiration, sourcing, etc., from)