ANSWER: marriageable age for a girl (14 ~15); the year a girl is sexually mature (nubile)
In old Korea, a girl was apparently considered sexually mature and ready for marriage when she started menstruating, but the word 과년(瓜年) literally means "the cucumber (瓜) year (년)" or "year of the cucumber." So I wonder why they called it the "year of the cucumber" instead of "the year of the tomato"? Was it because Korea was a male-dominated society? 😉
瓜 (과) was also used as a general term for "melons," so maybe 과년 was meant to mean "the melon year" or "the fruitful year," suggesting that girls of that age were finally able to bear fruit.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
What does 七去之惡 (칠거지악) mean?
ANSWER: the seven grounds for divorcing a wife
七去之惡 (칠거지악) literally means "the seven (七) abandonment evils (去之惡)." These "seven evils" were grounds for divorcing a wife in old China and Korea.
七去之惡 (칠거지악) literally means "the seven (七) abandonment evils (去之惡)." These "seven evils" were grounds for divorcing a wife in old China and Korea.
- Disobeying in-laws
- Inability to produce a son
- Adultery
- Jealousy
- Disease
- Talking too much
- Stealing
Saturday, April 06, 2019
Can you recommend a good Korean-English terminology dictionary?
ANSWER: Yes: Lee Jin-yeong's Korean-English Terminology for Beginners (이진영의 동시통역 기초사전).
The following Google Book preview shows probably more than 70 percent of the book. I bought the book soon after it came out in 2004, and my version has 830 pages, including the Korean and English indices at the back.
The following Google Book preview shows probably more than 70 percent of the book. I bought the book soon after it came out in 2004, and my version has 830 pages, including the Korean and English indices at the back.
Thursday, April 04, 2019
How do you say 똑똑한 돼지 in English?
ANSWER: Einswine
In English, 똑똑한 돼지 means "smart pig," so if a smart person can be referred to as an Einstein, why can't a smart pig be referred to as an Einswine?
I have been told that the above joke is an example of an 아재개그, which literally means "ajossi (아재) gag (개그)" or "uncle joke." An "uncle joke," or dad joke, is often more silly than funny.
The Korean word 아재 is a less respectful form of the Korean word 아저씨, which is often translated as "uncle" even though it is not normally used to refer to a blood-relative uncle but rather to someone who is about one's father's or uncle's age.
Younger kids seem to like "uncle jokes" more than teenagers.
In English, 똑똑한 돼지 means "smart pig," so if a smart person can be referred to as an Einstein, why can't a smart pig be referred to as an Einswine?
I have been told that the above joke is an example of an 아재개그, which literally means "ajossi (아재) gag (개그)" or "uncle joke." An "uncle joke," or dad joke, is often more silly than funny.
The Korean word 아재 is a less respectful form of the Korean word 아저씨, which is often translated as "uncle" even though it is not normally used to refer to a blood-relative uncle but rather to someone who is about one's father's or uncle's age.
Younger kids seem to like "uncle jokes" more than teenagers.
Korean Math: Is it proper for a child to be larger than its mother?
ANSWER: No!
The Korean for the math term "fraction" is 분수 (分數), which literally means "a divided (分) number (數)." The Korean for the top portion of a fraction, or the numerator, is 분자 (分子), which literally means "the child of the division," and the Korean for the bottom portion, or denominator, is 분모 (分母), which literally means "the mother of the division." In other words, Koreans see a fraction as a mother-child relationship with the child being the smaller (upper) part of the fraction.
A fraction is considered a "proper fraction" when its numerator is smaller than its denominator, and an "improper fraction" when its numerator is larger than its denominator. The Korean for "proper fraction" is 진분수 (眞分數), which literally means “true (眞) fraction (分數),” and the Korean for an “improper fraction” is 가분수 (假分數), which literally means “pretend (假) fraction (分數)” or “false fraction.”
So, if the “child” part of a fraction is larger than the “mother” part, it is an “improper fraction."
The Korean for the math term "fraction" is 분수 (分數), which literally means "a divided (分) number (數)." The Korean for the top portion of a fraction, or the numerator, is 분자 (分子), which literally means "the child of the division," and the Korean for the bottom portion, or denominator, is 분모 (分母), which literally means "the mother of the division." In other words, Koreans see a fraction as a mother-child relationship with the child being the smaller (upper) part of the fraction.
A fraction is considered a "proper fraction" when its numerator is smaller than its denominator, and an "improper fraction" when its numerator is larger than its denominator. The Korean for "proper fraction" is 진분수 (眞分數), which literally means “true (眞) fraction (分數),” and the Korean for an “improper fraction” is 가분수 (假分數), which literally means “pretend (假) fraction (分數)” or “false fraction.”
So, if the “child” part of a fraction is larger than the “mother” part, it is an “improper fraction."
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