비

비 U+BE44, 비 HANGUL SYLLABLE BI Composition: ㅂ + ㅣ ← 빃 [U+BE43] Hangul Syllables 빅 → [U+BE45]

비빅빆빇빈빉빊 빋빌빍빎빏빐빑 빒빓빔빕빖빗빘 빙빚빛빜빝빞빟
븨 ←	→ 빠

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 霏微 (Yale: *piWi). Hence the word was originally disyllabic; Alexander Vovin believes it was borrowed from Tungusic. Ultimately from Proto-Tungusic *pigi- (“to blow; rain”).

However, Hyunkyu Shin suggests that remaining editions of Jīlín lèishì misinterpreted the original, that 微 was originally a part of the following explanation "微雪下曰 嫩耻" (small amount of snowfall is called "*nwun ti"), and that "rain" should correspond to only 霏 (Yale: *pi).

In the hangul script, first attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 비〮 (Yale: pí).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pi]
• Phonetic hangul: [비]

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

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 비의 / 비에 / 비까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable.

Noun

비 • (bi)

1. rain

   어릴 적 나-는 비가 하늘-이 내려 주는 공짜 물-이라고 생각했다.

   Eoril jeok na-neun biga haneur-i naeryeo juneun gongjja mur-irago saenggakhaetda.

   When I was young, I thought rain was free water from the sky.

   밖-에 비가 와요. ― Bakk-e biga wayo. ― Outside, rain is falling.

Derived terms

• 가랑비 (garangbi)
• 가을비 (ga'eulbi)
• 겨울비 (gyeoulbi)
• 눈비 (nunbi)
• 단비 (danbi)
• 봄비 (bombi)
• 비구름 (bigureum)
• 비바람 (bibaram)
• 소낙비 (sonakbi)
• 여름비 (yeoreumbi)
• 여우비 (yeoubi)
• 이슬비 (iseulbi)
• 작살비 (jaksalbi)
• 장맛비 (jangmatbi)
• 큰비 (keunbi)

 

See also

• 雨 (u), the hanja for "rain"

Etymology 2

First attested in the Neung'eomgyeong eonhae (楞嚴經諺解 / 능엄경언해), 1461, as Middle Korean 뷔〮 (Yale: pwúy).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pi]
• Phonetic hangul: [비]

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

Noun

비 • (bi)

1. (dated) broom

   Synonym: (usual) 빗자루 (bitjaru)

   방-을 비로 쓸다 ― bang-eul biro sseulda ― to sweep the room with a broom

Derived terms

• 마당비 (madangbi)
• 비질 (bijil)
• 빗자루 (bitjaru)
• 싸리비 (ssaribi)

 

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 碑, from the Middle Korean reading 비 (Yale: pì).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pi]
• Phonetic hangul: [비]

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

Noun

비 • (bi) (hanja 碑)

1. gravestone; tombstone

   Synonym: 묘비(墓碑) (myobi)

2. stone engraved with memorial text

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 碑 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (碑, bi).

Etymology 4

Borrowed from English b.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pi]
• Phonetic hangul: [비]

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

Noun

비 • (bi)

1. The Korean reading of the Latin alphabet letter b.

Etymology 5

Sino-Korean word from 非.

Pronunciation

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

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	bi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	bi
McCune–Reischauer?	pi
Yale Romanization?	pī

Prefix

비— • (bi-) (hanja 非)

1. un-; in-; non-

   비공식 (非公式) ― unofficial

   비공개 (非公開) ― private (lit. not made public)

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 非 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (非, bi).

Etymology 6

Sino-Korean word from 費.

Suffix

—비 • (-bi) (hanja 費)

1. cost, fee; expense

   생활비 (生活費) ― living expenses

   교육비 (敎育費) ― cost of education

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 費 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (費, bi).

Etymology 7

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

비 (bi)

More information

1. 比: comparison

   (eumhun reading: 견줄 비 (gyeonjul bi))
   (MC reading: 比 (MC bjij|pjijX|bjijH|pjijH|bjit))

2. 非: not;un-, in-, non-

   (eumhun reading: 아닐 비 (anil bi))
   (MC reading: 非 (MC pj+j))

3. 悲: sad

   (eumhun reading: 슬플 비 (seulpeul bi))
   (MC reading: 悲 (MC pij))

4. 飛: to fly

   (eumhun reading: 날 비 (nal bi))
   (MC reading: 飛 (MC pj+j))

5. 鼻: nose; nasal; rhino-

   (eumhun reading: 코 비 (ko bi))
   (MC reading: 鼻 (MC bjijH))

6. 備: equip, provision

   (eumhun reading: 갖출 비 (gatchul bi))
   (MC reading: 備 (MC bijH))

7. 批:

   (MC reading: 批 (MC phej))

8. 卑: low; inferior

   (eumhun reading: 낮을 비 (najeul bi))
   (MC reading: 卑 (MC pjie))

9. 婢:

   (MC reading: 婢 (MC bjieX))

10. 碑:

    (MC reading: 碑 (MC pje))

11. 妃: wife, spouse; imperial concubine

    (eumhun reading: 왕비 비 (wangbi bi))
    (MC reading: 妃 (MC phj+j|phwojH))

12. 肥:

    (MC reading: 肥 (MC bj+j))

13. 祕:

    (MC reading: 祕 (MC pijH))

14. 費: spend; cost

    (eumhun reading: 쓸 비 (sseul bi))
    (MC reading: 費 (MC pijH|phj+jH|bj+jH))

15. 庇:

    (MC reading: 庇 (MC pjijH))

16. 枇:

    (MC reading: 枇 (MC bjij|pjijX|bjijH))

17. 琵:

    (MC reading: 琵 (MC bjij))

18. 扉:

    (MC reading: 扉 (MC pj+j))

19. 譬:

    (MC reading: 譬 (MC phjieH))

20. 丕: large; grand

    (eumhun reading: 클 비 (keul bi))
    (MC reading: 丕 (MC phij))

21. 匕: spoon; dagger

    (eumhun reading: 비수 비 (bisu bi))
    (MC reading: 匕 (MC pjijX))

22. 匪:

    (MC reading: 匪 (MC pj+jX))

23. 憊:

    (MC reading: 憊 (MC beajH))

24. 斐:

    (MC reading: 斐 (MC phj+jX))

25. 榧:

    (MC reading: 榧 (MC pj+jX))

26. 毖:

    (MC reading: 毖 (MC pijH))

27. 毗:

    (MC reading: 毗 (MC bjij))

28. 沸:

    (MC reading: 沸 (MC pj+jH))

29. 泌: seeping out, excretion

    (eumhun reading: 샘물 졸졸 흐를 비 (saemmul joljol heureul bi))
    (MC reading: 泌 (MC pijH|bjit|pit))

30. 痺:

    (MC reading: 痺 (MC pjie))

31. 砒:

    (MC reading: 砒)

32. 秕:

    (MC reading: 秕 (MC pjijX))

33. 粃:

    (MC reading: 粃)

34. 緋:

    (MC reading: 緋 (MC pj+j))

35. 翡:

    (MC reading: 翡 (MC bj+jH))

36. 脾: spleen

    (eumhun reading: 지라 비 (jira bi))
    (MC reading: 脾 (MC bjie))

37. 臂: arm

    (eumhun reading: 팔 비 (pal bi))
    (MC reading: 臂 (MC pjieH))

38. 菲:

    (MC reading: 菲 (MC phj+j|phj+jX|bj+jH))

39. 蜚:

    (MC reading: 蜚 (MC pj+jX|bj+jH))

40. 裨:

    (MC reading: 裨 (MC pjie|bjie))

41. 誹:

    (MC reading: 誹 (MC pj+j|pj+jH))

42. 鄙:

    (MC reading: 鄙 (MC pijX))

43. 棐:

    (MC reading: 棐 (MC pj+jX))

44. 庀:

    (MC reading: 庀 (MC phjieX))

45. 奜:

    (MC reading: 奜 (MC phj+jX))

46. 霏:

    (MC reading: 霏 (MC phj+j))

47. 俾:

    (MC reading: 俾 (MC pjeX))

48. 馡:

    (MC reading: 馡 (MC pj+j))

49. 伾:

    (MC reading: 伾 (MC phij))

50. 仳:

    (MC reading: 仳 (MC bjij|phjieX|bijX))

51. 剕:

    (MC reading: 剕)

52. 圮:

    (MC reading: 圮 (MC bijX))

53. 埤:

    (MC reading: 埤 (MC bjie))

54. 妣:

    (MC reading: 妣 (MC pjijX))

55. 屁:

    (MC reading: 屁 (MC phjijH))

56. 庳:

    (MC reading: 庳 (MC bjieX))

57. 悱:

    (MC reading: 悱 (MC phj+jX))

58. 椑:

    (MC reading: 椑 (MC pjie|bej|bjiek|bek))

59. 沘:

    (MC reading: 沘 (MC bjij|pjijX))

60. 淝:

    (MC reading: 淝 (MC bj+j))

61. 淠:

    (MC reading: 淠 (MC phijH))

62. 濞:

    (MC reading: 濞 (MC phijH|phejH))

63. 狒:

    (MC reading: 狒 (MC bj+jH))

64. 狉:

    (MC reading: 狉)

65. 痞:

    (MC reading: 痞 (MC pijX|bijX|pjuwX))

66. 痹:

    (MC reading: 痹 (MC pjijH))

67. 睥:

    (MC reading: 睥 (MC phejH))

68. 篦:

    (MC reading: 篦 (MC pej))

69. 紕:

    (MC reading: 紕 (MC bjie|phjij|tsyhiX))

70. 羆:

    (MC reading: 羆 (MC pje))

71. 腓:

    (MC reading: 腓 (MC bj+j|bj+jH))

72. 芘:

    (MC reading: 芘 (MC bjij|bjijH))

73. 芾:

    (MC reading: 芾 (MC pj+jH|pajH|pjut))

74. 萆:

    (MC reading: 萆 (MC siX|bjiek))

75. 蓖:

    (MC reading: 蓖 (MC pej))

76. 蚍:

    (MC reading: 蚍 (MC bjij))

77. 貔:

    (MC reading: 貔 (MC bjij))

78. 贔:

    (MC reading: 贔 (MC bijH))

79. 轡:

    (MC reading: 轡 (MC pijH))

80. 邳:

    (MC reading: 邳 (MC bij))

81. 郫:

    (MC reading: 郫 (MC bje|bjie|bea))

82. 閟:

    (MC reading: 閟 (MC pijH))

83. 陴:

    (MC reading: 陴 (MC bjie))

84. 鞴:

    (MC reading: 鞴 (MC bijH|buH|bjuwk))

85. 騑:

    (MC reading: 騑 (MC phj+j|pj+j))

86. 騛:

    (MC reading: 騛 (MC pj+j))

87. 髀:

    (MC reading: 髀 (MC pjeX|pjijX|bejX))

88. 鼙:

    (MC reading: 鼙 (MC bej))

89. 秘: Alternative form of 祕

    (MC reading: 秘 (MC pijH))

90. 毘: Alternative form of 毗

    (MC reading: 毘)

Middle Korean

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pí/

Noun

비〮 (pí) (locative 비〮예〮 (pí-yéy))

1. rain

Descendants

• Korean: 비 (bi)