그림자

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 그림제〮 (Yale: kùlìmcéy). From Old Korean 影亇伊 (*KULUmay).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈkɯ(ː)ɾimd͡ʑa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [그(ː)림자]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	geurimja
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	geulimja
McCune–Reischauer?	kŭrimja
Yale Romanization?	kūlimca

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 그림자의 / 그림자에 / 그림자까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch on the second syllable, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

그림자 • (geurimja)

1. shadow

   키가 크면 그림자도 길다.

   Ki-ga keumyeon geurimja-do gilda.

   If one is tall, one's shadow is long as well.

2. reflection on water

   강에 비친 달의 그림자가 일렁인다.

   Gang-e bichin dar-ui geurimja-ga illeong'inda.

   The reflection of the moon on the river moves to-and-fro.

3. (figurative) somber facial expression

See also

• 그늘 (geuneul, “shade”)
• 影 (yeong), the hanja for "shadow"