부지기수

Korean

Etymology

Sino-Korean word from 不知 (“not know”) + 其數 (“its number”). Attested since at least 1677.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pud͡ʑiɡisʰu]
• Phonetic hangul: [부지기수]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	bujigisu
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	bujigisu
McCune–Reischauer?	pujigisu
Yale Romanization?	pucikiswu

Noun

부지기수 • (bujigisu) (hanja 不知其數)

1. (four-character idiom from Classical Chinese) something uncountably numerous or frequent

   Synonym: 비일비재(非一非再) (biilbijae, “something extremely frequent”)

   공부보다 중요한 일이 이 세상에 부지기수야.

   Gongbu-boda jung'yo-han ir-i i sesang-e bujigisu-ya.

   In this world, there's an innumerability of things more important than studying.

   • 1677, 朴通事諺解 / 박통사언해:

     諸(졔)國(국) 人(인)民(민) 一(일)切(졀) 善(션)男(남)善(션)女(녀)ㅣ 不(부)知(디)其(기)數(수)히 큰 慈(ᄌᆞ)心(심)을 發(발)ᄒᆞ야 다 뎌긔ᄅᆞᆯ 향ᄒᆞ여 佛(불)法(법)을 드르라 가ᄂᆞ니

     All the kind men and all the kind women from among the people of the many countries, expressing their compassionate minds in uncountable numbers, are all heading there to listen to the Buddhist dharma.

   • 1923 March 24, “到(도)處(처)에 死(사)者(자)不(부)知(지)其(기)數(수)”, in The Chosun Ilbo:

     到(도)處(처)에 死(사)者(자) 不(부)知(지)其(기)數(수)

     Wherever one goes, innumerable numbers of dead people

   • 2018 November, “북한이탈청년이 인식하는 차별 경험에 대한 현상학적 연구 [bukhanitalcheongnyeoni insikhaneun chabyeol gyeongheome daehan hyeonsanghakjeok yeon'gu, A phenomenological study on discriminatory experiences as perceived by North Korean defector youth]”, in Han'guk cheongsonyeon yeon'gu:

     애들이 북한을 아예 다른 나라라고 생각하고, 우리나라라고 생각을 안 하는 사람들이 거의 부지기수, 거의 대부분이에요.

     Aedeur-i Bukhan-eul aye dareun nara-rago saenggakhago, Urinara-rago saenggag-eul an haneun saram-deur-i geoui bujigisu, geoui daebubun-ieyo.

     The guys think North Korea is a completely different country, and people who don't think it's [a part of] Korea are almost uncountable, almost everybody.