기둥서방

Korean

Etymology

기둥 (gidung, “pillar, column (of a building)”) +‎ 서방(書房) (seobang, “husband, man”). Perhaps because a pimp watches out for the prostitute from a safe distance, i.e. leaning on a pillar?

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kiduŋsʰʌ̹ba̠ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [기둥서방]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gidungseobang
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gidungseobang
McCune–Reischauer?	kidungsŏbang
Yale Romanization?	kitwungsepang

Noun

기둥서방 • (gidungseobang) (hanja 기둥書房)

1. (colloquial) pimp, hustler (procurer of prostitutes)

   Synonyms: 포주(抱主) (poju), 기부(妓夫) (gibu)

2. (colloquial) unemployed man whose wife is the breadwinner