개미

Korean

개미 (gaemi, “ants”).

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈkɛ(ː)mi] ~ [ˈke̞(ː)mi]
• Phonetic hangul: [개(ː)미/게(ː)미]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gaemi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gaemi
McCune–Reischauer?	kaemi
Yale Romanization?	kāymi

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 개미의 / 개미에 / 개미까지

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

Noun

개미 • (gaemi) (counter 마리)

1. ant

   개미처럼 부지런하다

   gaemicheoreom bujireonhada

   (metaphorical) as hardworking as an ant

2. retail investor in the stock market