김치
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김치 (gimchi)
Korean
Etymology
Nativisation of the Sino-Korean term 침채 (沈菜, chimchae, “soaked vegetables”). First attested in the Hunmong jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527, as Middle Korean 딤ᄎᆡ (Yale: timchoy).
In most dialects, Middle Korean 딤ᄎᆡ (Yale: timchoy) was regularly palatalized to 짐츼 (jimchui), whence modern southern dialectal 짐치 (jimchi). However, southern Korean dialects also palatalized /ki/ to /t͡ɕi/, which the Seoul prestige dialect did not. Seoul speakers hence hypercorrected 짐츼 (jimchui) to 김츼 (gimchui) to avoid sounding "southern", whence modern Standard 김치 (gimchi).
This word displaced the older Middle Korean term 디히〮 (Yale: tìhí) (whence 지 (ji), now only used in compound words and the southwestern Jeolla dialect), probably because regular sound change rendered it monosyllabic and caused it to have a large number of homophones.
Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key):
- Phonetic hangul:
| Romanizations | |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization? | gimchi |
| Revised Romanization (translit.)? | gimchi |
| McCune–Reischauer? | kimch'i |
| Yale Romanization? | kimchi |
- South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 김치의 / 김치에 / 김치까지
Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the first syllable, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.
Noun
김치 • (gimchi)
- kimchi, a dish made with fermented, seasoned vegetables
Synonyms
| Historical and regional synonyms of 김치 (gimchi, “kimchi”) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| view map; edit data | |||
| Group | Region | Location | Words |
| Standardised forms | South Korean Standard Language | 김치 (gimchi) | |
| North Korean Cultured Language | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Historical forms | Middle Korean | 디히 (tihi) (more common), 딤ᄎᆡ (timchoy) (from Chinese) | |
| Early Modern Seoul Korean | 딤ᄎᆡ (dimchae), 짐ᄎᆡ (jimchae), 김츼 (gimchui) (from late 18th c.) | ||
| Central Korean | Gyeonggi | Modern colloquial Seoul | 김치 (gimchi) |
| Traditional Seoul | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Incheon | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Suwon | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yeoncheon | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Paju | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Pocheon | 김치 (gimchi), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Yangju | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Gapyeong | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gwangju | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yangpyeong | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Yongin | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Icheon | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Pyeongtaek | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Anseong | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yeongseo | Chuncheon | 짠지 (jjanji) | |
| Wonju | 김치 (gimchi), 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Cheorwon | 김치 (gimchi), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Inje | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Hongcheon | 김치 (gimchi), 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Hoengseong | 김치 (gimchi), 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yeongdong | Gangneung | 짐치 (jímchì), 김치 (gímchì), 짠지 (jjánjì) | |
| Wonsan | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Kumya | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Munchon | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Tongchon | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Kosong | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Sokcho | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Samcheok | 짐치 (jímchì), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Pyeongchang | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yeongwol | 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Jeongseon | 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| North Chungcheong | Cheongju | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | |
| Jincheon | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Chungju | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Jecheon | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Danyang | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Goesan | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Jeungpyeong | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Boeun | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yeongdong | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| South Chungcheong | Taean | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi) | |
| Dangjin | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Asan | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Cheonan | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Yesan | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Hongseong | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Cheongyang | 짐치 (jimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Gongju | 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Seocheon | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Nonsan | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Geumsan | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| South Hwanghae | Haeju | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | |
| Ongjin | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Yonan | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Taetan | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Ryongyon | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Chaeryong | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Sinchon | 짠지 (jjanji) | ||
| Anak | 짠디 (jjandi) | ||
| Unnyul | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| North Hwanghae | Sariwon | 김치 (gimchi), 짠지 (jjanji) | |
| Sohung | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Kumchon | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Singye | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Suan | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Koksan | 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Daegu | 짐치 (jímchì) (not spicy), 짠지 (jjánjì) (spicy), 지 (jī́) |
| Yeongju | 짐치 (jímchì), 김치 (gímchì) | ||
| Uljin | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Yecheon | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Andong | 짐치 (jímchì), 김치 (gímchì) | ||
| Sangju | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Uiseong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Yeongdeok | 짐치 (jímchì) (not spicy), 짠지 (jjánjì) (spicy) | ||
| Gimcheon | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Gumi | 짠지 (jjánjì), 지 (jī́) | ||
| Gunwi | 짐치 (jímchì) (not spicy), 짠지 (jjánjì) (spicy) | ||
| Pohang | 짐치 (jímchì) (not spicy), 짠지 (jjánjì) (spicy) | ||
| Seongju | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Goryeong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Gyeongju | 짐치 (jímchì) (not spicy), 짠지 (jjánjì) (spicy) | ||
| South Gyeongsang | Busan | 짐치 (jímchì) | |
| Ulsan | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Changwon | 짐치 (jímchì), '지 ( ji) | ||
| Geochang | 짐치 (jímchì), '지 ( ji) | ||
| Hapcheon | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Changnyeong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Miryang | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Hamyang | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Uiryeong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Hadong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Jinju | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Gimhae | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Yangsan | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Sacheon | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Goseong | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Namhae | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Geoje | 짐치 (jímchì) | ||
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Jeonju | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) |
| Gunsan | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Iksan | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Jinan | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Muju | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gimje | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Buan | 지 (jī) | ||
| Jeongeup | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Imsil | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Jangsu | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gochang | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Sunchang | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Namwon | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| South Jeolla | Gwangju | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | |
| Jangseong | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Damyang | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gokseong | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gurye | 지 (jī) | ||
| Hampyeong | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Muan | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi), 짐차 (jimcha) | ||
| Naju | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Suncheon | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gwangyang | 짐채 (jimchae) | ||
| Yeongam | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi), 짐채 (jimche) | ||
| Jindo | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Haenam | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gangjin | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi), 짐채 (jimche) | ||
| Wando | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Jangheung | 지 (jī), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Boseong | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Goheung | 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Yeosu | 지 (jī), 짐치 ( jimchi), 짐차 (jimcha) | ||
| Pyongan Korean | North Pyongan | Sinuiju | 짠디 (jjandi) |
| Uiju | 짠디 (jjandi), 딤치 (dimchi) | ||
| Cholsan | 짠디 (jjandi), 짠지 (jjanji), 김치 (gimchi) | ||
| Ryongchon | 짠디 (jjandi) | ||
| Diaspora | Shenyang | 짠디 (jjandi) | |
| Fushun | 짠디 (jjandi) | ||
| Hamgyong Korean | South Hamgyong | Hamhung | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) |
| Chongpyong | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Yonggwang | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Sinhung | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Hongwon | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Sinpo | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Riwon | 짐치 (jìmchí), 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| North Hamgyong | Chongjin | 김치 (gìmchí) | |
| Myongchon | 김치 (gìmchí) | ||
| Kyongsong | 김치 (gìmchí) | ||
| Puryong | 김치 (gìmchí) | ||
| Hyesan | 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Kapsan | 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Kimhyonggwon | 짠지 (jjánjì) | ||
| Yukjin Korean | Yukjin | Hoeryong | 김치 (gìmchí) |
| Diaspora | Hunchun | 김치 (gìmchí) | |
| Jeju | Jeju City | 짐끼 (jimkki), 짐치 (jimchi), 김치 (gimchi) | |
| Daejeong | 짐끼 (jimkki), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| Gujwa | 짐끼 (jimkki), 짐치 (jimchi), 징뀌 (jingkkwi) | ||
| Seogwipo | 짐끼 (jimkki), 짐치 (jimchi) | ||
| This table is an amalgamation of surveys of speakers mostly born before 1950 and may not reflect the language of younger speakers, which has lexically converged towards the standard Seoul dialect in both North and South Koreas. | |||
Descendants
- → English: kimchi, kimchee, kim chee, gimchee, gimchi
- → Japanese: キムチ (kimuchi)
- → English: kimuchi
- → Japanese: きみすい (kimisui)
Interjection
김치 • (gimchi)
- cheese (said while being photographed)