Korean edit

Etymology edit

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 區戌 (Yale: *kwùsúl). In the Hangul script, first attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 구슬〮 (Yale: kwùsúl).

Related to, and possibly a suffixed form of, an element found in two ancient place name glosses from the Samguk Sagi: pseudo-Goguryeo 古斯 (*kwos(V)), apparently meaning “jade; precious stone”, and Baekje 丘斯 (*kwus(V)), apparently meaning “something precious”. The latter is also transcribed as 仇叱 (*kwus). Both place names are from southern Korea.

Compared to Common Turkic *qāš (jade). Japanese (くしろ) (kushiro, ancient ceremonial bracelet) may be an ancient borrowing from Korean.

Pronunciation edit

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?guseul
Revised Romanization (translit.)?guseul
McCune–Reischauer?kusŭl
Yale Romanization?kwusul
  • South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 슬의 / 슬에 / 슬까지

    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 edit

구슬 (guseul)

  1. marble (small ball used in games)
    구슬 굴리다guseur-eul gullidato roll marbles
  2. glass bead, pearl, precious gem

Derived terms edit