뒤통수

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Tyeonroryeokdyeong (天路歷程 / 텬로력뎡), 1895, as Early Modern Korean 뒷통슈 (Yale: twuys-thwongsyu).

Etymologically a compound of 뒤 (dwi, “back”) +‎ 통수 (tongsu, “head”) and still perceived as such by modern speakers, but the second component does not survive in isolation.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈtɥi(ː)tʰo̞ŋsʰu] ~ [ˈty(ː)tʰo̞ŋsʰu]
• Phonetic hangul: [뒤(ː)통수]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dwitongsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dwitongsu
McCune–Reischauer?	twit'ongsu
Yale Romanization?	twī.thongswu

Noun

뒤통수 • (dwitongsu)

1. back of one's head

   Synonyms: 뒷머리 (dwinmeori), 뒷골 (dwitgol), 후두(後頭) (hudu), 후두부(後頭部) (hudubu)

   Coordinate term: 옆통수 (yeoptongsu)

   뒤통수를 치다

   dwitongsu-reul chida

   to stab in the back; to betray

   걔한테 하도 맞아서 뒤통수가 아직도 아파.

   Gyae-hante hado maj-aseo dwitongsu-ga ajikdo apa.

   They hit me so much that the back of my head still hurts.

Alternative forms

• 뒷통수 (dwit'tongsu) (misspelling)