요

요 • (yo)

1. For the verb-final particle, see the entry at 요 (-yo).

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 요 (Yale: yo), derived from 이 (i, “this”) with a yang vowel introduced for sound-symbolic diminutiveness.

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

요 • (yo)

1. (diminutive) this (little)

   Synonym: 이 (i, “this”, non-diminutive)

   Coordinate terms: 고 (go, “that”, mesial diminutive), 조 (jo, “that”, distal diminutive)

   요 애기 너무 귀엽다!

   yo aegi neomu gwiyeopda!

   This baby is so cute!

   요 새끼가 뭐라고?

   yo saekki-ga mworago?

   What did this little bastard say?

First attested in the Won'gakgyeong eonhae (圓覺經諺解 / 원각경언해), 1465, as Middle Korean ᅀᅭᇂ (Yale: zywòh), from Late Middle Chinese 褥 (MC nyowk). Whether Korean lenited the final -k̚ to -h as part of its general leniting process, or whether the Middle Chinese source was a late variety that had already lenited the plosive codas to -ɣ or -ʔ which was then borrowed as -h, is disputed.^[1]

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

요 • (yo)

1. a blanket on which one sleeps, often used in Korea in lieu of beds

• 담요 (damyo, “blanket (in general)”)

Sino-Korean word from 要 (“necessary”).

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

요 • (yo) (hanja 要)

1. Synonym of 요지(要旨) (“main idea”)

요— • (yo-) (hanja 要)

1. (formal) required, necessary

   요보호아동

   yobohoadong

   at-risk children

   (literally, “children in need of protection”)

—요 • (-yo) (hanja 要)

1. (formal, written) required, necessary

   신분증 지참 요

   sinbunjeung jicham yo

   required to bring proof of identity

The prefix is not spaced, but the suffix often is.

• 요(要)하다 (yohada, “to require (formal)”)
• See the hanja entry at 要 for Sino-Korean compounds of 요 (要, yo).

Sino-Korean word from 尿 (“urine”).

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

요 • (yo) (hanja 尿)

1. (formal, academic) urine

   Synonym: 오줌 (ojum, usual non-academic term)

   요에 당이 과다하게 나타나고 있습니다.

   Yo-e dang-i gwadahage natanago itseumnida.

   An excessive quantity of sugar is appearing in the urine.

• See the hanja entry at 尿 for Sino-Korean compounds of 요 (尿, yo).

Sino-Korean word from 遼 (“the Liao”).

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

요 • (Yo) (hanja 遼)

1. (formal) the Liao, a medieval Khitan empire

   Synonym: 요나라 (Yonara, “the Liao”, usual non-academic term)

• As with all historical Chinese polities with a single-character name, the Liao are usually referred to with the suffix 나라 (nara, “nation, country”) as 요나라 (Yo-nara, “the Liao country”) outside of formal contexts.

• See the hanja entry at 遼 for Sino-Korean compounds of 요 (遼, yo).

Sino-Korean word from 堯 (“Emperor Yao”).

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

요 • (Yo) (hanja 堯)

1. Synonym of 요임금 (Yo-imgeum, “Emperor Yao, legendary ruler of ancient China”)

• See the hanja entry at 堯 for Sino-Korean compounds of 요 (堯, yo).

Modern Korean reading of various Chinese characters, from Middle Korean 요 (Yale: yò), 요〯 (Yale: yǒ), ᅀᅭ (Yale: zyò), or ᅀᅭ〯 (Yale: zyǒ).

요 • (yo)

South Korean reading of various Chinese characters in isolation or as the first element of a compound, and also the reading in most dialects in 1945, excluding Pyongan and Yukjin. From Middle Korean 료 (Yale: lyò) or 료〯 (Yale: lyǒ). When preceded by another character in a compound, they retain the original 료 (ryo) form.

In the North Korean standard, they are always read as 료 (ryo).

요 • (yo)

South Korean reading of various Chinese characters in isolation or as the first element of a compound, and also the reading in most dialects in 1945, excluding Pyongan and Yukjin. From Middle Korean 뇨 (Yale: nyò) or 뇨〯 (Yale: nyǒ). When preceded by another character in a compound, they retain the original 뇨 (nyo) form.

In the North Korean standard, they are always read as 뇨 (nyo).

요 • (yo)