많다

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 만〯ᄒᆞ다〮 (Yale: mǎn-hòtá), equivalent to 만〯 (Yale: mǎn) + ᄒᆞ다〮 (Yale: hòtá, > modern 하다 (hada)).

The first element is usually, though somewhat speculatively, connected to Sino-Korean 萬 (mǎn, “ten thousand; myriad; (figuratively) countless”).^[1] Displaced native 하다〮 (Yale: hàtá, “to be many”).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):

  • Audio:

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• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

많다 • (manta) (infinitive 많아, sequential 많으니)

1. (to be) many, much, a lot, plentiful

   Antonym: 적다 (jeokda, “(to be) few”)

   돈이 많은 사람

   doni maneun saram

   someone who has a lot of money; a rich person (lit. "a person whose money is plentiful")

   오늘 전시회 방문자가 많다.

   Oneul jeonsihoe bangmunja-ga manta.

   Today there are many visitors at the exhibition.

   할 일이 너무 많다.

   Hal ir-i neomu manta.

   There is so much work to do.

   나는 많은 노력을 기울였다.

   Naneun maneun noryeog-eul giuryeotda.

   I made a great effort.

• 많이 (mani) (adverb)

• 多 (da)