나무

First attested as Late Old Korean 南木 (*namwo) in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103. Also attested in the same source as 南 (*nam) and 南記 (*namki).^[1]

In the Hangeul script, first attested as Middle Korean 나모 (nàmwò) in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447. The Middle Korean word had two allomorphs, surfacing as 나모 (nàmwò) in isolation or when followed by a consonant-initial suffix and as 나ᇚ (nàmk-) when followed by a vowel-initial suffix. A similar distinction is retained in some Eastern dialects, whereas other dialects reflect the medial velar.

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

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 나무의 / 나무에 / 나무까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, except before consonant-initial multisyllabic suffixes, when it takes full low pitch.

나무 • (namu) (counter 그루)

1. tree
2. wood

   나무는 종이를 만드는 재료로 쓰인다.

   Namu-neun jong'i-reul mandeuneun jaeryo-ro sseu'inda.

   Wood is used as a material to make paper.

   Audio:

   (file)

   최근의 어느 바람 불던 날, 수백명의 방문객이 빙하 앞에서 사진을 찍으려고 나무 계단을 올라갔다.

   Choegeun-ui eoneu baram buldeon nal, subaengmyeong-ui bangmun'gaeg-i bingha ap-eseo sajin-eul jjigeuryeogo namu gyedan-eul ollagatda.

   On a recent windy day, hundreds of visitors climbed wooden stairs to take pictures in front of the glacier.