뜨거운 감자

Korean

Etymology

뜨거운 (tteugeoun, “hot”, present adnominal of 뜨겁다 (tteugeopda)) +‎ 감자 (gamja, “potato”). Calque of English hot potato. The second sense arose from a misinterpretation of the original English term.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͈ɯɡʌ̹un ka̠md͡ʑa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [뜨거운 감자]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	tteugeoun gamja
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	tteugeoun gamja
McCune–Reischauer?	ttŭgŏun kamja
Yale Romanization?	ttukewun kamca

Noun

뜨거운 감자 • (tteugeoun gamja)

1. hot potato (awkward or delicate problem)
   • 2021 April 19, “女(여)징병제 불붙인 남녀평등복무제…與(여) 권인숙도 찬성”, in Newsis‎^[1]:

     여성 징병제가 우리 사회의 뜨거운 감자로 부각되기 시작한 것은 1999년 헌법재판소가 군 가산점제에 대한 위헌 결정을 내리면서부터다.

     Yeoseong jingbyeongje-ga uri sahoe-ui tteugeoun gamja-ro bugak-doegi sijak-han geos-eun cheon'gubaekgusipgunyeon Heonbeopjaepanso-ga gun gasanjeomje-e dae-han wiheon gyeoljeong-eul naeri-myeonseo-buteo-da.

     The topic of female conscription has become a [political] hot potato in Korea ever since the Constitutional Court declared in 1999 that giving certain benefits and privileges exclusively to those who have completed their military service—who are mostly men—is unconstitutional.

2. a hotly debated or discussed issue/topic; something that has become the centre of attention
   • 2021 March 10, “美(미) 증시 '뜨거운 감자' 로블록스 상장… 게임시장 지각변동 일으킬까”, in Chosun Biz‎^[2]:

     로블록스가 미 증시에서 가장 '뜨거운 감자'로 급부상한 것도 이 때문이다.

     Robeullokseu-ga Mi jeungsi-eseo gajang tteugeoun gamja -ro geupbusang-han geot-do i ttaemun-ida.

     This is one of the reasons why Roblox suddenly has become the most talked-about stock on the U.S. stock market.