고기

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 姑記 (Yale: *kwoki), which already defines it as meaning both 肉 (“meat”) and 魚／鱼 (yú, “fish”). In the hangul script, first attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 고기〮 (Yale: kwòkí). See also Jeju 궤기 (gwegi).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ko̞ɡi]
• Phonetic hangul: [고기]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gogi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gogi
McCune–Reischauer?	kogi
Yale Romanization?	koki

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 고기의 / 고기에 / 고기까지

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

Noun

고기 • (gogi)

1. meat; flesh [from at least 1103]

   저는 고기를 못 먹습니다. ― Jeo-neun gogi-reul mot meokseumnida. ― I can't eat meat.

2. fish (animal) [from at least 1103]

   Synonym: 물고기 (mulgogi)

   연못에 노니는 고기들 ― yeonmos-e nonineun gogi-deul ― fish frolicking in the pond

Usage notes

• "Fish" as meat/food is not called 고기 (gogi), but 생선 (生鮮, saengseon).

Derived terms

idioms

• 까마귀 고기를 먹었나 (kkamagwi gogireul meogeonna)
• 물 만난 고기 (mul mannan gogi)

 

compounds

• 개고기 (gaegogi, “dog meat”)
• 고기구이 (gogigu'i, “roast meat”)
• 날고기 (nalgogi, “raw meat”)
• 돼지고기 (dwaejigogi, “pork”)
• 물고기 (mulgogi, “fish”)
• 불고기 (bulgogi, “Korean barbecue”)
• 소고기 (sogogi, “beef”)
• 쇠고기 (soegogi, “beef”)
• 육고기 (yukgogi, “meat as opposed to fish”)

 

See also

• 肉 (yuk), the hanja for "meat, flesh".

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 古 (“ancient”) + 記 (“chronicle, statement”).

Pronunciation

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

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gogi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gogi
McCune–Reischauer?	kogi
Yale Romanization?	kōki

Noun

고기 • (gogi) (hanja 古記)

1. a historical record; an ancient document

Middle Korean

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kò.kí/, [kò.ɡí]

Noun

고기〮 (kwòkí)

1. meat; flesh
2. fish

Descendants

• Jeju: 궤기 (gwegi)
• Korean: 고기 (gogi)