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Definition 2024


U+3134, ㄴ
HANGUL LETTER NIEUN

[U+3133]
Hangul Compatibility Jamo
[U+3135]

Korean

Syllable

(ni)

  1. A Hangul syllabic block made up of and .

Etymology 2

First attested in the Hunmin jeongeum eonhae (訓民正音諺解本 / 훈민정음언해본), 1447, as  (Yale: ni).

Noun

(ni)

  1. (archaic, now suffixal) a tooth
Alternative forms
  • (i) (canonical)
Synonyms
Derived terms
  • 윗니 (winni, “the upper teeth”)
  • 아랫니 (araenni, “the lower teeth”)
  • 앞니 (amni, “incisor, front tooth”)
  • 송곳니 (songgonni, “cuspid, canine tooth”)
  • 어금니 (eogeumni, “molar, grinding tooth”)
  • 사랑니 (sarangni, “wisdom tooth”)
  • 뻐드렁니 (ppeodeureongni, “bucktooth”)
  • 엄니 (eomni, “(brutal) fang”)
  • 젖니 (jeonni, “milk teeth”)
  • 간니 (ganni, “permanent teeth”)
  • 톱니 (tomni, “saw tooth”)
  • 톱니바퀴 (tomnibakwi, “toothed wheel”)
See also
External links

Etymology 3

First attested in the Yongbi eocheonga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as ᄋᆞ/으니 (Yale: u/oni).

Suffix

(ni)

  1. because, since
    워낙 배가 고팠다 무엇을 먹어도 맛있었다.
    Wonak baega gopatda boni mueoseul meogeodo madisseotda.
    Everything tasted so good owing to my great hunger.
  2. and then
    바닷가다다르, 마침 하늘도. 바다도, 노을가득, 물들 이었다.
    Badatga-e dadareuni, machim haneuldo. Badado, no-eure gadeuk, muldeuldeon chamieotda.
    We arrived at the beach, just in time to watch, the sunset gild the sky, and the ocean, altogether.
Usage notes

The suffix (ni) takes the sequential form of a verb, an adjective, or 이다 (ida, “to be”), and if the stem ends in the consonant (l), it drops out.

Alternative forms
  • 니까 (nikka)
Synonyms
Derived terms
  • 더니 (deoni) (past retrospect)
  • 리니 (rini) (future, obsolete)
See also

Etymology 4

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as ᄋᆞ/으니 (Yale: u/oni).

Suffix

(ni)

  1. a plain style interrogative suffix; gives a friendlier impression than (nya) does
    여우, 여우야, 뭐 하?
    Yeouya, yeouya, mwo hani?
    Fox, fox, what are you doing?
Usage notes

The suffix (ni) is usually directly appended to the stem of a verb, an adjective or 이다 (ida, “to be”), though it rarely takes the sequential forms of the present-tense adjectives, not including 있다 (itda, “to exist”) and 없다 (eopda, “not to exist”). In all cases, if the stem ends in the consonant (l), it drops out.

Synonyms

Etymology 5

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

(ni)

  1. , , , , , , , , ,