그

See also: ユ, コ, ㄈ, and ㄷ

그 U+ADF8, 그 HANGUL SYLLABLE GEU Composition: ㄱ + ㅡ ← 귷 [U+ADF7] Hangul Syllables 극 → [U+ADF9]

그극귺귻근귽귾 귿글긁긂긃긄긅 긆긇금급긊긋긌 긍긎긏긐긑긒긓
규 ←	→ 긔

Jeju

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɨ/

Determiner

그 (geu)

1. (demonstrative) that

Usage notes

그 (geu) is used for items closer to the listener than to the speaker, and 저 (jeo) is used for items far from both the speaker and the listener

Korean

Etymology

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

The 3rd-person pronoun sense is widely believed to be introduced together with 그녀 (geunyeo) by Kim Dong-in in the early 20th century, probably calque of Japanese 彼(かれ) (kare), which became a personal pronoun in addition to a demonstrative pronoun due to the influence of European languages. However, the demonstratives 이〮 (í), 그 (ku), and 뎌〮 (tyé) were all used occasionally in Middle Korean as 3rd person pronouns as well.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kɯ]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [그]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	geu
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	geu
McCune–Reischauer?	kŭ
Yale Romanization?	ku

Determiner

그 • (geu)

1. (demonstrative) that (of what has been already said or known)

   그 남자는 일본인입니까 아니면 중국인입니까? ― 그는 중국인입니다.

   geu namjaneun ilboninimnikka animyeon jungguginimnikka? ― geuneun jungguginimnida.

   Is that man Japanese or Chinese? ― He is Chinese.

   근데 방금 그 여자 누구에요?

   geunde banggeum geu yeoja nugueyo?

   By the way, who is that girl?

   그 사람들은 가족입니다. ― Geu saramdeureun gajogimnida. ― Those people are family.

Usage notes

그 (geu) is used for items closer to the listener than to the speaker, and 저 (jeo) is used for items far from both the speaker and the listener

Derived terms

• 그것 (geugeot, “that thing”)
• 그곳 (geugot, “that place”)
• 그때 (geuttae, “that moment”)
• 그대로 (geudaero, “like that”)
• 그렇다 (geureota, “to be that way”)
• 그이 (geu'i, “he”)
• 그놈 (geunom, “he”) (insulting)
• 그놈들 (geunomdeul, “they”) (insulting)
• 그년 (geunyeon, “she”) (insulting)

See also

• 이 (i, “this”)
• 저 (jeo, “that”)

Pronoun

그 • (geu)

1. (literary) he, she

   그는 아무런 말도 없이 가버렸다.

   geuneun amureon maldo eopsi gabeoryeotda.

   He/She left without saying anything.

Usage notes

그녀 (geunyeo, “she”) is an explicitly feminine third-person pronoun.

그 is never used as a pronoun in colloquial Korean. See 걔 (gyae, “he; she”) for the colloquial pronoun.

Synonyms

• (demonstrative, that): 저 (jeo)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “demonstrative, this”): 이 (i)

Derived terms

• 그녀 (geunyeo, “she”)
• 그들 (geudeul, “they”)
• 그네들 (geunedeul, “they”)

See also

Korean demonstratives edit
Determiner		이	그	저	어느
Pronoun	Human	이이	그이	저이	뉘
		이분	그분	저분	어느 분
		이자	그자	저자
		얘	걔	쟤
	Object	이	(그)	(저)	어느
		이것	그것	저것	어느 것
		이거	그거	저거	어느 거
	Place	여기	거기	저기	어디
		이곳	그곳	저곳	어느 곳
	Direction	이쪽	그쪽	저쪽	어느 쪽
	Time	이때	그때	접때	언제
Verb		이러다	그러다	저러다	어쩌다
		이리하다	그리하다	저리하다	어찌하다
Adjective		이렇다	그렇다	저렇다	어떻다
		이러하다	그러하다	저러하다	어떠하다
Adverb		이리	그리	저리	어찌
		이렇게	그렇게	저렇게	어떻게
		이만큼	그만큼	저만큼	얼마만큼(얼마큼)