사이

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Korean ᄉᆞᅀᅵ〮 (Yale: sòzí), ᄉᆞ이〮 (Yale: sòí).

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean ᄉᆞᅀᅵ〮 (Yale: sòzí), from pre-Middle Korean *sòsí, preserved in Gyeongsang Middle Korean ᄉᆞ시 (Yale: sosi).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰa̠i]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [사이]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	sai
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	sai
McCune–Reischauer?	sai
Yale Romanization?	sai

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 사이의 / 사이에 / 사이까지

  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

사이 • (sai)

1. gap; space between

   이틀 사이에 돈을 다 써버렸습니다.

   Iteul sai-e don-eul da sseo-beoryeotseumnida.

   I ended up spending all the money in the span of two days.

   집과 차고 사이 ― jip-gwa chago sai ― the space between the house and the garage

2. relationship

   지안하고 지안 언니는 사이가 좋아요.

   Jian-hago Jian eonni-neun sai-ga joa-yo.

   Jian and her older sister have a good relationship.

Alternative forms

• 새 (sae) (contraction)

Derived terms

• 밤사이 (bamsai)
• 사이사이 (saisai)
• 사이시옷 (saisiot)
• 사이좋다 (saijota)
• 사이하다 (saihada)

 

Etymology 2

Of native Korean origin. Unlike the standard form, the dialectal form appears to have retained the bisyllabic form of the pre-Middle Korean word.

Noun

사이 • (sai)

1. (South Chungcheong, Seoul, Hwanghae) Dialectal form of 새 (sae, “bird”)