짓이기다

First attested in the 증수무원록 / 增修無寃錄, 1792, as Early Modern Korean 즛니기다 (Yale: cus-nikita), from 즛 (jeut, “violently”) + 니기다 (nigida, “to grind”). Equivalent to 짓 (jit-) +‎ 이기다 (igida).

The modern reflexes of 즛 and 니기다 are 짓 (jit) and 이기다 (igida) respectively, leading to the modern orthography. However, speakers have actually perceived the verb as a single unit and not a compound, and thus retained the original pronunciation with /n/. This explains the disconnect between the orthography and pronunciation (otherwise very unusual in Modern Korean orthography for verbs, but 설익다 (seollikda, “to be undercooked”) has the same process).

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

짓이기다 • (jinnigida) (infinitive 짓이겨 or 짓이기어, sequential 짓이기니)

1. to crush, to trample