여러

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 여러〮 (Yale: yèlé), from pre-Middle Korean *ᄋᆢ라 (Yale: *yòlá), preserved as alternative Middle Korean 여라〮 (Yale: yèlá), as well as Jeju ᄋᆢ라 (yawra), Yukjin Korean 야라 (yara).

Beyond Korean, connected to Japanese 万(よろず) (yorozu, “a large number”), which is probably an ancient loan into Japanese.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [jʌ̹ɾʌ̹]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [여러]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	yeoreo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	yeoleo
McCune–Reischauer?	yŏrŏ
Yale Romanization?	yele

Determiner

여러 • (yeoreo)

1. several, various

   여러 나라에서 살아보았지만 우리나라만한 나라는 없었다.

   Yeoreo nara-eseo saraboatjiman urinaramanhan nara-neun eopseotda.

   I have lived in several countries, but there was no country like [i.e. as good as] Korea.

   여러 번 걸었지만 통화는 연결되지 않았습니다.

   Yeoreo beon georeotji-man tonghwa-neun yeon'gyeoldoeji anatseumnida.

   The call did not get through, though I tried several times.

Derived terms

• 여러분 (yeoreobun, “ladies and gentlemen”)