분수

Korean

Etymology 1

분수 (噴水, bunsu, “fountain”).

Sino-Korean word from 噴水, from 噴 (“spew”) + 水 (“water”).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈpu(ː)nsʰu]
Phonetic hangul: [분(ː)수]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punsu
Yale Romanization^?	pūnswu

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 噴水)

fountain
근처 공원 에 분수가 하나 있어서 한번 놀러 가 봤다.
Geuncheo gong'won-e bunsu-ga hana isseoseo hanbeon nolleo ga bwatda.
[I] went to the nearby park because there was a fountain.
- 1917, Yi Kwang-su, 이광수(李光洙), “어린 벗에게 (eorin beosege) [To a Young Lover]”, in 靑(청)春(춘), numbers 9-11:
  全(전)혀 모르고 우둑하니 噴(분)水(수)만 보고 섯섯나이다.
  Jeonhyeo moreugo udukhani bunsuman bogo seotseonnaida.
  Not knowing [what to do], I blankly stared at the fountain.

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 分數, from 分 (“fraction”) + 數 (“number”), with compound/genitive tensing applied.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [puns͈u]
Phonetic hangul: [분쑤]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punssu
Yale Romanization^?	punqswu

Many speakers do not apply genitive tensing, and the non-tense pronunciation is also accepted as standard.

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 分數)

(mathematics) fraction
분수는 최대한 약분 을 해 야 된다.
Bunsu-neun choedaehan yakbun-eul hae-ya doenda.
A Fraction must be reduced to its simplest form.

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 分數, from 分 (“portion; status”) + 數 (“amount”).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈpu(ː)nsʰu]
Phonetic hangul: [분(ː)수]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punsu
Yale Romanization^?	pūnswu

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 分數)

one's place, means, or station
Synonym: 분(分) (bun)

사람 은 무릇 자신 의 분수를 잘 알아야 한다.
Saram-eun mureut jasin-ui bunsu-reul jal araya handa.
A person must well know their place.
- 1908, An Gukseon, 안국선(安國善), “井(졍)蛙(와)語(어)海(ᄒᆡ) (개고리) [The Frog]”, in 禽(금)獸(슈)會(회)議(의)錄(록) (Geumsyuhoe'uirok) [Minutes from the Animal Assembly]:
  우리 개고리 의 족속 은 […] 분슈를 직히ᄂᆞ니 그러면 우리 ᄂᆞᆫ 사람 보다 샹등 이 아니오닛가 (손벽 소ᄅᆡ ᄶᅡᆯ각々々)
  uri gaegori-ui joksog-eun [ … ] bunsyu-reul jikhineuni geureomyeon uri-neun saramboda syangdeung-i anionitga (sonbyeoksorijjalgakjjalgak)
  We frogs know and keep to our place […] . So, couldn't it be said that we are better than humans? (claps with small hands)
- 1935, Gim Yujeong, 김유정(金裕貞), “나와 귀뚜람이 (Nawa gwitturami) [Me and a Cricket]”, in 朝(조)光(광):
  그러나 分(분)數(수)에 넘는 虛(허)榮(영)이려니 […]
  Geureona bunsu-e neomneun heoyeong-iryeoni […]
  However, such is simply my vain [imagination], not knowing its place.
- 2017, ““자기가 좋아하는 곳에 살면 예술이 나온다” [“jagiga joahaneun gose salmyeon yesuri naonda”]”, in 중앙(JoongAng)SUNDAY‎^[1]:
  그 는 자기 분수(分數)껏 사는 게 중요하다고 했다.
  Geu-neun jagi bunsukkeot saneun ge jung'yohadago haetda.
  He said it is important to live within one's means.
(an acceptable) limit (with the verb 있다 (itda, “to be”))
장난 과 농담 도 분수가 있다. ― Jangnan-gwa nongdam-do bunsu-ga itda. ― Even a joke has its limits.