숨

숨 U+C228, 숨 HANGUL SYLLABLE SUM Composition: ㅅ + ㅜ + ㅁ ← 숧 [U+C227] Hangul Syllables 숩 → [U+C229]

수숙숚숛순숝숞 숟술숡숢숣숤숥 숦숧숨숩숪숫숬 숭숮숯숰숱숲숳
쇼 ←	→ 숴

Korean

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰu(ː)m]
• Phonetic hangul: [숨(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	sum
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	sum
McCune–Reischauer?	sum
Yale Romanization?	swūm

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 숨의 / 숨에 / 숨까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes low pitch, and heightens the pitch of two subsequent suffixed syllables.

Noun

숨 • (sum)

1. breath, breathing

   숨을 고르다 ― sum-eul goreuda ― steady breaths

   그녀는 눈을 감고 숨을 깊이 들이마셨다.

   Geunyeo-neun nun-eul gamgo sum-eul gipi deurimasyeotda.

   She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

2. liveliness, spirit, vigor
3. stiffness

   숨이 죽다 ― sum-i jukda ― the stiffness of death

Derived terms

(prefix to nouns)

• 숨결 (sumgyeol, “the state of breathing”)
• 숨구멍 (sumgumeong, “throat, windpipe, trachea”)
• 숨소리 (sumsori, “the sound of breathing”)
• 숨통 (sumtong, “throat, windpipe, trachea”)

(suffix to nouns)

• 단숨에 (dansume, “in one breath”)
• 목숨 (moksum, “life”)
• 한숨 (hansum, “one breath, pause, sigh”)

(prefix to verbs)

• 숨가쁘다 (sumgappeuda, “to be out of breath”)
• 숨거두다 (sumgeoduda, “to breathe one's last”)
• 숨넘어가다 (sumneomeogada, “to breathe one's last”)
• 숨돌리다 (sumdollida, “to take breath”)
• 숨막히다 (summakhida, “to be choked, suffocated”)
• 숨쉬다 (sumswida, “to breathe”)
• 숨죽이다 (sumjugida, “to hold one's breath, wither (of vegetables, etc.)”)
• 숨지다 (sumjida, “to breathe one's last, die”)
• 숨차다 (sumchada, “to be out of breath”)