무엇

Korean

Alternative forms

• (in speech) 뭐 (mwo)

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 므스것 (Yale: musukes).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [muʌ̹t̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [무얻]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	mueot
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	mueos
McCune–Reischauer?	muŏt
Yale Romanization?	mues

Pronoun

무엇 • (mueot)

1. (interrogative pronoun) what - used in questions

   이게 뭐예요?

   ige mwoyeyo?

   What is this?

   뭐라고 했어요?

   mworago haesseoyo?

   What did [you] say?

2. something, anything

   무엇인가가 실제와 다른 것처럼 주장하거나 행동하다.

   mueosin'ga-ga siljewa dareun geotcheoreom jujanghageona haengdonghada.

   to claim that or act as if something is different from what it actually is

   뭐 먹었어요?

   mwo meogeosseoyo?

   Have (you) eaten something?

See also

As object:

• 무엇 + 을 = 뭐 + 을 = 뭘