공부
[공부]gongbu工夫
study, studying
Sino-Korean word
study, studying — written 工夫 in Chinese characters
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Meaning & nuance
공부 is the everyday word for studying: 공부하다 (to study), 한국어 공부 (Korean study), 시험 공부 (studying for an exam).
Its Chinese characters are 工夫. In Japanese the same characters are read kufū and mean "a clever idea, ingenuity," not "study." Same characters, different meanings: a classic false friend between Korean and Japanese.
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Examples
요즘 한국어 공부를 하고 있어요.I'm studying Korean these days.
도서관에서 같이 공부할래요?Want to study together at the library?
이번 여행은 좋은 공부가 됐어요.This trip taught me a lot.
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Forms & politeness
- 공부하다
- to study
- 한국어 공부
- Korean study
- 공부가 되다
- to be a good lesson
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Hangul blocks
공ㄱ + ㅗ + ㅇ부ㅂ + ㅜ
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Good to know
좋은 공부가 되다 means "to be a good learning experience." Japanese says the same thing with its own word for study: ii benkyō ni naru.
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Related words
Dictionary: 표준국어대사전 · 공부 ↗
Meanings are written in our own words. The link opens the Standard Korean Language Dictionary entry.