글

First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446, as Middle Korean 글〮 (Yale: kúl), presumably from Old Korean 文尸 (*KUl), a form attested in sixth-century personal names. Further back, the first element of one (pseudo-)Goguryeo place name in central Korea is written both as 斤尸 (*kul) and as Chinese 文 (“writing”).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul:

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 글의 / 글에 / 글까지

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

글 • (geul) (hanja 㐎)

1. a piece of writing; a written work such as a book or article

   슬픈 글을 읽고 눈물을 흘렸다.

   Seulpeun geur-eul ilgo nunmur-eul heullyeotda.

   I read a sad work of writing and shed tears.

   좋은 글의 비법은 다독, 다작, 다상량뿐이다.

   Jo'eun geur-ui bibeob-eun dadok, dajak, dasangnyang-ppun-ida.

   The only method to good writing is reading much, writing much, and thinking much.

2. a letter in writing

   Synonym: 글자(㐎字) (geulja)

   글을 예쁘게 쓰려고 애쓴다.

   Geur-eul yeppeuge sseuryeogo aesseunda.

   She makes an effort to write her letters prettily.

3. a writing system

   Synonym: 문자(文字) (munja)

   이 나라는 글을 모르는 사람이 많다.

   I nara-neun geur-eul moreuneun saram-i manta.

   In this country, there are many people who do not know their letters.

   • 2020, 김상웅 [gimsang'ung], “우리글은 우리 인종이 쓰기에 합당하다 [urigeureun uri injong'i sseugie hapdanghada]”, in OhMyNews‎:

     영국 글은 영국인종이 쓰기에 합당하고, 아랍글은 아랍인종이 쓰기에 합당하고

     Yeongguk geur-eun Yeongguginjong-i sseugi-e hapdang-hago, Arapgeur-eun Arab-injong-i sseugi-e hapdang-hago

     English writing is fitting for the English race to write with, and Arabic writing is fitting for the Arab race to write with

4. (possibly dated) letters, cultivation, knowledge

   글을 아는 사람이다.

   Geur-eul aneun saram-ida.

   He is a man of letters.

• 文 (mun, corresponding hanja for writing-related compounds)
• 쓰다 (sseuda, “to write”)

• IPA^(key): /kɨ́l/

글〮 (kúl) (locative 그〮레〮 (kúl-éy))

1. writing; a work of writing

• Korean: 글 (geul)