어른

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 얼〯운〮 (Yale: ělGwún).

Etymologically from the verb root 얼ㅇ- (Yale: èlG-, “to have sex; to copulate; to marry”) and the gerundive suffix -운 (Yale: -wún): "one who is married/has sex" (Lee and Ramsey 2011, p. 233). Alternatively from the related 얼우- (Yale: elGwu-, “to marry (off)”) and the same suffix: "one who is married". No longer perceived as such by modern speakers, as the source verbs are obsolete.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈɘ(ː)ɾɯn]
Phonetic hangul: [어(ː)른]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	eoreun
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	eoleun
McCune–Reischauer^?	ŏrŭn
Yale Romanization^?	ēlun

South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 어른의 / 어른에 / 어른까지
Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, and also heightens the subsequent suffixed syllable.

Noun

어른 • (eoreun)

grownup, adult, elder, senior
Synonyms: 성인(成人) (seong'in) (formal), 대인(大人) (daein) (formal)

Antonyms: 애 (ae), 아이 (ai), 어린이 (eorini) (polite)

어른들 이 이야기한단다. ― Eoreun-deur-i iyagihandanda. ― The adults are talking.

Related terms

어르신 (eoreusin, “senior, elderly”)

Middle Korean

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /əlɨn/, [əɾɨn]

Adverb

어른 (èlùn)

quickly, at once
- 1459, 月印釋譜 / 월인석보 [Worin seokbo], page Preface 2b:
  瞥(펴ᇙ〮)은〮 누네〮 어른 디〯날 ᄊᆞᅀᅵ〮오〮
  PYÉLQ-ún nwùn-éy èlùn tǐnàl.s-sòzí-wó
  [The Chinese word] 瞥 (piē) means, "the interval of something passing quickly before the eyes."

Descendants

Korean: 얼른 (eolleun)