-기

See also: 기 and -기-

Jeju

Etymology

See Korean -기 (-gi).

Suffix

-기 (-gi)

1. to, -ing, that...; derives verbal and adjectival substantives.
2. -ing, -ment, -tion; derives nouns from verbs and adjectives.

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Korean -기〮 (Yale: -kí). The suffix was rare in fifteenth-century Middle Korean (Lee and Ramsey 2011, p. 177), but came to increasingly displace -음 (-eum).

Suffix

-기 • (-gi)

1. to, -ing, that...; derives verbal and adjectival substantives.

   Synonym: (formal) -음 (-eum)

   아기-들-은 울-기-만 한다. ― Agi-deur-eun ul-gi-man handa. ― All babies do is cry.

   죽-기-는 쉽고 살-기-는 어렵다. ― Juk-gi-neun swipgo sal-gi-neun eoryeopda. ― It is easy to die and difficult to live.

   이 아이-는 그림 그리-기-를 잘한다. ― I ai-neun geurim geuri-gi-reul jal-handa. ― This child is good at drawing pictures.

   그-가 떠났-기 때문-이다. ― Geu-ga tteonat-gi ttaemun-ida. ― It is because of him leaving.

2. -ing, -ment, -tion; derives nouns from verbs and adjectives.

   Synonyms: -음 (-eum), -이 (-i)

   ‎듣- (deut-, “to listen”) + ‎-기 (-gi) → ‎듣기 (deutgi, “listening”)

   ‎달리- (dalli-, “to run”) + ‎-기 (-gi) → ‎달리기 (dalligi, “running”)

Derived terms

• Korean terms suffixed with -기

Etymology 2

Suffix

-기 • (-gi)

1. For Sino-Korean suffixes, see the entries at 기 (gi).