사람

Korean

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Korean 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (sǎlòm), first attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례)^[1], 1446.

From earlier Old Korean 人音 (*SALOm), first attested in the “Suhui gongdeokga” (隨喜功德歌 / 수희공덕가), before 973. The word is also attested as Old Korean 人米 in the same source.

The Middle Korean form, 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (Yale: sǎlòm), is analyzed as a derived substantive of 살〯다〮 (Yale: sǎl-tá, “to live”) with ᄋᆞᆷ (Yale: -om, nominalizer) (> modern 음 (eum)), and thus literally meant "one who is alive".^[1] It is no longer perceived as a derived noun by modern speakers. Doublet of 삶 (sam).

Cognate with Jeju 사름 (sareum).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠m]
- Audio: (file)
Phonetic hangul: [사(ː)람]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	saram
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	salam
McCune–Reischauer^?	saram
Yale Romanization^?	sālam

South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 사람의 / 사람에 / 사람까지
Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, and also heightens the subsequent suffixed syllable.

Noun

사람 • (saram)

human being, person
Synonyms: 인간(人間) (in'gan, “human being”), (honorific) 분 (bun), (dated or formal) 이 (i)

그러면 내 가 어떤 사람이 되는 거 겠 어?
geureomyeon nae-ga eotteon saram-i doeneun geo-gess-eo?
What kind of person would I be then?

영국 사람 ― Yeongguk saram ― A British person

미국 사람 ― Miguk saram ― An American person
(law) a person (encompassing both legal and natural persons)
Synonym: 인(人) (in)

Hyponyms: 법인(法人) (beobin, “legal person”), 자연인(自然人) (jayeonin, “natural person”)

Derived terms

눈사람 (nunsaram, “snowman, snowperson”)
뱃사람 (baetsaram, “sailor”)
생(生)사람 (saengsaram, “innocent person, living person”)
아랫사람 (araetsaram, “one's junior, subordinate, underling”)
윗사람 (witsaram, “one's senior, elder, superior”)
집사람 (jipsaram, “(humble) one's wife”)
촌(村)사람 (chonsaram, “country person”)

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