거머리

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Gugeupbang eonhae (救急方諺解 / 구급방언해), 1466, as Middle Korean 거〯머리〮 (Yale: kěmèlí).

Pronunciation

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

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	geomeori
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	geomeoli
McCune–Reischauer?	kŏmŏri
Yale Romanization?	kēmeli

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 거머리의 / 거머리에 / 거머리까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch on the second syllable, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

거머리 • (geomeori)

거머리 (geomeori)

1. leech

   야 이 거머리 같은 새끼야!

   Ya i geomeori gateun saekki-ya!

   Hey, you parasitic leech!

2. (figurative) nuisance

Derived terms

• 말거머리 (malgeomeori): horse-leech (Haemopis sanguisuga)
• 찰거머리 (chalgeomeori): sticky leech

See also

• 마황 (螞蟥, mahwang): horse-leech
• 마질 (馬蛭, majil): horse-leech