니

See also: 丩

니 U+B2C8, 니 HANGUL SYLLABLE NI Composition: ㄴ + ㅣ Dubeolsik input: s-l ← 닇 [U+B2C7] Hangul Syllables 닉 → [U+B2C9]

Korean

Etymology 1

니닉닊닋닌닍닎 닏닐닑닒닓닔닕 닖닗님닙닚닛닜 닝닞닟닠닡닢닣
늬 ←	→ 다

Syllable

니 • (ni)

1. A Hangul syllabic block made up of ㄴ and ㅣ.

Etymology 2

First attested in the Hunmin jeongeum eonhae (訓民正音諺解本 / 훈민정음언해본), 1446, as Middle Korean 니 (Yale: ni).

Noun

니 • (ni)

1. (now suffixal) a tooth
2. (Pyongyang) a tooth

Alternative forms

• 이 (i) due to 두음 법칙 (頭音法則, dueum beopchik)

Synonyms

• 이빨 (ippal, “tooth”) (when referring to a person's teeth in strong tones. Mainly used in animals' teeth.)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• (South Korea) 윗니 (winni, “the upper teeth”)
• (North Korea) 웃이 (usi, “the upper teeth”)
• (South Korea) 아랫니 (araenni, “the lower teeth”)
• (North Korea) 아래이 (araei, “the lower teeth”)
• (South Korea) 앞니 (amni, “incisor, front tooth”)
• (North Korea) 앞이 (api, “incisor, front tooth”)
• (South Korea) 송곳니 (songgonni, “cuspid, canine tooth”)
• (North Korea) 송곳이 (songgosi, “cuspid, canine tooth”)
• (South Korea) 어금니 (eogeumni, “molar, grinding tooth”)
• (North Korea) 엄이,어금이 (eomi,eogeumi, “molar, grinding tooth”)
• (South Korea) 사랑니 (sarangni, “wisdom tooth”)
• (North Korea) 사랑이 (sarang-i, “wisdom tooth”)
• (South Korea) 뻐드렁니 (ppeodeureongni, “bucktooth”)
• (North Korea) 뻐덩이 (ppeodeong-i, “bucktooth”)
• (South Korea) 엄니 (eomni, “(brutal) fang”)
• (North Korea) 엄이 (eomi, “(brutal) fang”)
• (South Korea) 젖니 (jeonni, “milk teeth”)
• (North Korea) 젖이 (jeoji, “milk teeth”)
• (South Korea) 간니 (ganni, “permanent teeth”)
• (North Korea) 간이 (gani, “permanent teeth”)
• (South Korea) 톱니 (tomni, “saw tooth”)
• (North Korea) 톱이 (tobi, “saw tooth”)
• (South Korea) 톱니바퀴 (tomnibakwi, “toothed wheel”)
• (North Korea) 톱이바퀴 (tobibakwi, “toothed wheel”)

See also

• 입 (ip, “mouth”)
• 입술 (ipsul, “lip”)
• 잇몸 (inmom, “gum”)

Further reading

• tooth on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 3

First attested in the Yongbi eocheonga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean ᄋᆞ니, 으니 (Yale: oni, uni).

Suffix

—니 • (-ni)

1. a connecting ending that indicates that the foreword is the cause, basis, or premise of the hindmost; also used to state a fact first and then explain another fact in relation to it.

   워낙 배가 고팠다 보니 무엇을 먹어도 맛있었다.

   Wonak baega gopatda boni mueoseul meogeodo masisseotda.

   Everything tasted so good owing to my great hunger.

2. and then

   바닷가에 다다르니, 마침 하늘도. 바다도, 노을에 가득, 물들던 참이었다.

   Badatga-e dadareuni, machim haneuldo. Badado, no-eure gadeuk, muldeuldeon chamieotda.

   As we arrived at the seashore, the sky and sea were aglowed with the sunet.

Alternative forms

• 니까 (nikka)

Synonyms

• 아/어서 (a/eoseo, “because”)

Derived terms

• 더니 (deoni) (past retrospect)
• 리니 (rini) (future, obsolete)

See also

• 을 테니 (eul teni)

Etymology 4

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean ᄋᆞ/으니 (Yale: ^u/_oni).

Suffix

—니 • (-ni)

1. a plain style interrogative suffix; gives a friendlier impression than 냐 (nya) does

   너 가니?

   Neo gani?

   Do you go?

   여우야, 여우야, 뭐 하니?

   Yeouya, yeouya, mwo hani?

   Fox, fox, what are you doing?

Synonyms

• 냐 (nya) / 느냐 (neunya)

Etymology 5

• Contraction of 너의 (neoui, “your”).

Pronoun

니 • (ni)

1. your; an abbreviated form of 너의

Etymology 6

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

니 (ni)

1. 泥:

   (MC reading: 泥 (MC nei, nei^H))

2. 尼:

   (MC reading: 尼 (MC ɳˠiɪ))

3. 柅:

   (MC reading: 柅 (MC ɳˠiɪ, ɳˠiɪ^X))

4. 濔:

   (MC reading: 濔 (MC miᴇ^X))

5. 膩:

   (MC reading: 膩 (MC ɳˠiɪ^H))

6. 馜:

   (MC reading: 馜)

7. 㦐:

   (MC reading: 㦐)

8. 呢:

   (MC reading: 呢 (MC ɳˠiɪ))

9. 怩:

   (MC reading: 怩 (MC ɳˠiɪ))

10. 祢:

    (MC reading: 祢)

11. 禰:

    (MC reading: 禰 (MC nei^X))

12. 你:

    (MC reading: 你)

Alternative forms

• 이 (i) (South Korea)

Usage notes

In South Korea, the hanja above are read as 이 (i) when used as a single word or as the first syllable of a Sino-Korean compound. However, the reading 니 (ni) is retained when the hanja is not part of the first syllable of a Sino-Korean compound. This is known as 두음 법칙 (頭音法則, dueum beopchik).

References

• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin-guk daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, inmyeong-yonghanjapyo). [1]