고

Character	고
Hangul Syllables	U+ACE0
Composition	ㄱ + ㅗ
Dubeolsik keyboard entry	r-h

Korean

Etymology 1

고 곡 곢 곣 곤 곥 곦 곧 골 곩 곪 곫 곬 곭 곮 곯 곰 곱 곲 곳 곴 공 곶 곷 곸 곹 곺 곻
계 ←	과 →

Syllable

고 (transliterations: Revised go, McCune–Reischauer ko, Yale ko)

1. A Hangul syllabic block made up of ㄱ and ㅗ.

Etymology 2

Suffix

고 (go)

1. and then

   In this sense, a single subject governs two clauses. 고 (go) is attached to the stem of the -니 (ni) form of the final verb of the first clause.

2. and (by comparison)

   In this sense, two clauses with different subjects express coordinated actions or descriptions. 고 (go) is attached to the stem of the -니 (ni) form of the final verb of the first clause.

   • 나는 한국어를 공부하고, 그는 영어를 공부해요.

     Naneun hangugeoreul gongbuhago, geuneun yeong-eoreul gongbuhaeyo.

     I am studying Korean, and (by comparison) he is studying English.

3. (in the process of) -ing

   In this sense, 고 (go) is attached to the stem of the -니 (ni) form of the verb and is followed by a conjugated form of 있다 (itda, “to exist”).

   • 나는 한국말을 공부하고 있습니다.

     Naneun Han-gungmareul gongbuhago isseumnida.

     I am (in the process of) studying Korean.

4. that (marking an indirect quotation)

Usage notes

In the indirect quotation sense, -고 (-go) is attached to a 해라체 (haerache, “plain”) form of the quoted verb and is followed by a clause ending in a conjugated form of 하다 (hada, “to do”).

• If -고 (-go) is attached to a plain indicative form of the verb, the following 하다 (hada) may translate as a form of “to say that...”.
• If -고 (-go) is attached to a plain interrogative form (-냐 (nya)), the following 하다 (hada) may translate as a form of “to ask [whether, who, what, when, which, how, why]...”.
• If -고 (-go) is attached to a plain imperative form (-라 (ra)), the following 하다 (hada) may translate as a form of “to say to...”.
• If -고 (-go) is attached to a plain proposative form (-자 (ja)), the following 하다 (hada) may translate as a form of “to suggest to...”.

Etymology 3

Reading of various Chinese characters

Determiner

고 (go, hanja 故)

1. late
2. deceased

Syllable

고 (go)

1. 估, 侤, 凅, 刳, 古, 叩, 吿, 告, 呱, 咎, 咕, 嚳, 固, 塙, 姑, 孤, 尻, 庫, 拷, 攷, 故, 敲, 暠, 杲, 枯, 栲, 槀, 槁, 槹, 櫜, 沽, 牯, 痼, 皋, 皐, 盬, 睾, 瞽, 稁, 稿, 箍, 篙, 糕, 罟, 羔, 羖, 翱, 翺, 考, 股, 胯, 脵, 膏, 苦, 苽, 菰, 藁, 蠱, 袴, 觚, 詁, 誥, 賈, 辜, 郜, 酤, 鈷, 錮, 雇, 靠, 顧, 骷, 高, 髙, 鯝, 鴣, 鷱, 鼓