-냐

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word -냐. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word -냐, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say -냐 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word -냐 you have here. The definition of the word -냐 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of-냐, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
U+B0D0, 냐
HANGUL SYLLABLE NYA
Composition: +

Hangul Syllables

Korean

Alternative forms

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 으〮녀〮/ᄋᆞ〮녀〮 (Yale: -únyé/ónyé), equivalent (despite vowel mismatches) to a contraction of 으〮니아〮/ᄋᆞ〮니아〮 (Yale: -únìGá/ónìGá), ultimately from Old Korean (*-un, realis gerund suffix) + (*-i, to be, copula stem) + (*-ke, polar question interrogative suffix): etymologically "is it that...".

Recently, the epenthetical 으/느 (eu/neu) have been deleted, producing the modern form.

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?nya
Revised Romanization (translit.)?nya
McCune–Reischauer?nya
Yale Romanization?nya

Suffix

(-nya)

  1. (colloquial) a plain-style interrogative suffix
    뒈지고 싶어서 환장했? (vulgar)dwejigo sipeoseo hwanjang-haennya?Do you want to fucking die?
    찾았는데 어디 갔었?neo chajanneunde eodi gasseonnya?I was looking for you; where did you go?

Usage notes

  • Historically, only 느냐 (-neunya) and 으냐 (-eunya) were accepted in the standard language. Both are rare nowadays and have been almost wholly supplanted by (-nya), which is now accepted in the standard language as well.
  • (-ni) has the same meaning but has a friendlier nuance and is more often used by women.

Suffix

(-nya)

  1. Post-vowel or post-liquid allomorphic form of 으냐 (-eunya, (dated) plain-style interrogative suffix).