Middle Korean edit

Etymology edit

Middle Korean nouns ending in *-m tend to be substantialized verbs, but the putative etymon, *구루다 (kwulwu-ta), is not attested. John Whitman speculated a connection to Old Japanese (kumo1), but Alexander Vovin rejects this.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

구〮룸 (kwúlwùm)

  1. cloud
    • 1447, Grand Prince Suyang, 釋譜詳節 / 석보상절 [Seokbo sangjeol], page 20:9b:
      ()(코ᇰ)애〮 ᄀᆞᄃᆞ기 구〮룸 ᄀᆞ〮티 ᄂᆞ리〮며〮 []
      HÈ.KHWÒNG-áy kòtòkì kwúlwùm kót-hì nòlímyé []
      Filling the air, it descends like clouds
    • 1459, 月印釋譜 / 월인석보 [Worin seokbo], page 4:45a:
      ᄃᆞᆯ〮니ᇝ〯긔〮 구〮룸 몯ᄃᆞᆺ〮 더〮시니〮
      tól-nǐm-skúy kwúlwùm mwòt tós tésìní
      They were like clouds which gather towards the honored moon

Descendants edit

  • Korean: 구름 (gureum)