고모

Early Modern Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 姑母, from 姑 (“aunt”) + 母 (“mother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ko.mo]

Noun

고모 (kwomwo) (hanja 姑母)

1. paternal aunt (one's father's sister)

   Coordinate term: 이모(姨母) (imwo, “maternal aunt”)

Etymology 2

Probably a Sino-Korean word from 苦 (“torment”) + 冒 (“to face”), but this is not fully clear because the relevant Early Modern sources are written in pure Korean script.

Pronunciation

• (assuming aforementioned Sino-Korean etymology) IPA^(key): [koː.mo]

Noun

고모 (kwomwo)

1. (Gyeongsang, Buddhism) the fundamental suffering of human existence
   • 1704, 명연/明衍, 염불보권문/念佛普勸文:

     나서 늘그며 병 드러 죽는 고모ᄅᆞᆯ 면치 못ᄒᆞ고 […]

     nase nulkumye pyeng tule cwuknun kwomwo-lol myenchi mwos-hokwo

     one cannot escape the suffering of being born [only] to grow old, fall sick, and die […]

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ko̞mo̞]
• Phonetic hangul: [고모]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gomo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gomo
McCune–Reischauer?	komo
Yale Romanization?	komo

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 姑母, from 姑 (“aunt”) + 母 (“mother”).

Noun

고모 • (gomo) (hanja 姑母)

1. paternal aunt (one's father's sister)

   Coordinate term: 이모(姨母) (imo, “maternal aunt”)

Derived terms

• 고모부 (姑母夫, gomobu, “paternal aunt's husband”)

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 高帽, from 高 (“tall”) + 帽 (“hat”).

Noun

고모 • (gomo) (hanja 高帽)

1. (North Korea) a tall hat worn by nobles during ceremonies