응

응 U+C751, 응 HANGUL SYLLABLE EUNG Composition: ㅇ + ㅡ + ㅇ ← 읐 [U+C750] Hangul Syllables 읒 → [U+C752]

으윽윾윿은읁읂 읃을읅읆읇읈읉 읊읋음읍읎읏읐 응읒읓읔읕읖읗
유 ←	→ 의

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɯŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [응]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eung
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eung
McCune–Reischauer?	ŭng
Yale Romanization?	ung

Etymology 1

Probably an imitative form. Compare Japanese うん (“yeah”) and English mhm. Perhaps related to Middle Korean 에ᇰ (Yale: eyng).

Interjection

응 • (eung)

1. (informal) yes

   안녕 조나단, 바빠? — 응, 난 바빠.

   annyeong jonadan, bappa? - eung, nan bappa.

   Hi, Jonathan. Are you busy? - Yes, I’m busy.

   Original English texts from 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

Usage notes

Korean has a number of words for "yes". 예 (ye) is highly polite and formal, appropriate in an interview; 네 (ne) is polite but less formal, appropriate in a conversation with parents; and 응 (eung) and 어 (eo) are plain and non-formal, appropriate in a conversation with friends. Among the latter two, 응 (eung) has a stronger positive sense than 어 (eo).

See also

• 예 (ye) (formal)
• 네 (ne) (polite)
• 어 (eo) (plain)

Etymology 2

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

응 • (eung)

1. 應: to answer; to respond

   (eumhun reading: 응할 응 (eunghal eung))
   (MC reading: 應 (MC 'ing|'ingH))

2. 凝: to clot

   (eumhun reading: 엉길 응 (eonggil eung))
   (MC reading: 凝 (MC nging|ngingH))

3. 膺: chest

   (eumhun reading: 가슴 응 (gaseum eung))
   (MC reading: 膺 (MC 'ing))

4. 鷹: falcon

   (eumhun reading: 매 응 (mae eung))
   (MC reading: 鷹 (MC 'ing))

5. 𥌾: to look at something in a fixed manner

   (eumhun reading: 정(定)하고 볼 응)
   (MC reading: 𥌾)

6. 疑: to designate; to specify

   (eumhun reading: 정할 응 (jeonghal eung))
   (MC reading: 疑 (MC ngi))

Derived terms

• 응하다 (應하다, eunghada, “to respond”)

References

• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo).