비

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 霏微 (Yale: *piWi). Hence the word was originally disyllabic; Alexander Vovin believes it was borrowed from Tungusic,^[1] in this case, it would ultimately be from Proto-Tungusic *pigi- (“to blow; rain”).

However, Hyunkyu Shin suggests that remaining editions of Jīlín lèishì misinterpreted the original, that 微 was originally a part of the following explanation "微雪下曰 嫩耻" (small amount of snowfall is called "*nwun ti"), and that "rain" should correspond to only 霏 (Yale: *pi).^[2]

In the hangul script, first attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 비〮 (Yale: pí).

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

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 비의 / 비에 / 비까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable.

비 • (bi)

1. rain

   어릴 적 나는 비가 하늘이 내려 주는 공짜 물이라고 생각했다.

   Eoril jeok na-neun biga haneur-i naeryeo juneun gongjja mur-irago saenggakhaetda.

   When I was young, I thought rain was free water from the sky.

   밖에 비가 와요. ― Bakk-e biga wayo. ― Outside, rain is falling.

• 雨 (u), the hanja for "rain"

First attested in the Neung'eomgyeong eonhae (楞嚴經諺解 / 능엄경언해), 1461, as Middle Korean 뷔〮 (Yale: pwúy).

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

비 • (bi)

1. (dated) broom

   Synonym: (usual) 빗자루 (bitjaru)

   방을 비로 쓸다 ― bang-eul biro sseulda ― to sweep the room with a broom

Sino-Korean word from 碑, from the Middle Korean reading 비 (Yale: pì).

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

비 • (bi) (hanja 碑)

1. gravestone; tombstone

   Synonym: 묘비(墓碑) (myobi)

2. stone engraved with memorial text

• See the hanja entry at 碑 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (碑, bi).

Borrowed from English bee.

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

비 • (bi)

1. The name of the Latin-script letter B/b.

• (Latin-script letter names) 에이 (ei), 비 (bi), 씨 (ssi), 디 (di), 이 (i), 에프 (epeu), 쥐 (jwi), 에이치 (eichi) 아이 (ai), 제이 (jei), 케이 (kei), 엘 (el), 엠 (em), 엔 (en), 오 (o), 피 (pi), 큐 (kyu), 알 (al), 에스 (eseu), 티 (ti), 유 (yu), 브이 (beu'i), 더블유 (deobeuryu), 엑스 (ekseu), 와이 (wai), 제드 (jedeu)/지 (ji) ^{(Category: ko:Latin letter names)}

Sino-Korean word from 非.

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

비— • (bi-) (hanja 非)

1. un-; in-; non-

   비공식 (非公式) ― unofficial

   비공개 (非公開) ― private (lit. not made public)

• See the hanja entry at 非 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (非, bi).

Sino-Korean word from 費.

—비 • (-bi) (hanja 費)

1. cost, fee; expense

   생활비 (生活費) ― living expenses

   교육비 (敎育費) ― cost of education

• See the hanja entry at 費 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (費, bi).

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

비 • (bi)

• IPA^(key): /pí/

비〮 (pí) (locative 비〮예〮 (pí-yéy))

1. rain

• Korean: 비 (bi)