-은 지

Korean

Etymology

은 (-eun, “which”, realis/past adnominal marker) +‎ 지 (ji, dependent noun).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɯɲd͡ʑi]
• Phonetic hangul: [은지]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eunji
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eunji
McCune–Reischauer?	ŭnji
Yale Romanization?	un.ci

Suffix

은 지 • (-eun ji)

1. since, (from the time) that...; followed by a statement or question about the temporal duration.

   쌀 한 톨도 못 먹은 지 어언 사흘이 되었다.

   Ssal han tol-do mot meog-eun ji eo'eon saheur-i doeeotda.

   Somehow, it has been four days since I last ate even a grain of rice.

   (literally, “Somehow, it has become four days that I was unable to eat even a grain of rice.”)

   모친께서 돌아가신 지 몇 년이 되었습니까?

   mochin-kkeseo dora-gasin ji myeot nyeon-i doeeotseumnikka?

   How many years has it been since your mother passed away?

   탈레반이 정권을 잡은 지 벌써 이틀이다.

   Talleban-i jeonggwon-eul jab-eun ji beolsseo iteur-ida.

   It is already two days since the Taliban took power.

   물을 안 준 지 너무 오래 됐다.

   Mur-eul an jun ji neomu orae dwaetda.

   It's been too long since I last watered [the plants].

Usage notes

• Do not confuse with 은지 (-eunji).
• To express English "since [one] last [VERB]ed", Korean negates the verb, as seen in the examples above.