셈

셈 U+C148, 셈 HANGUL SYLLABLE SEM Composition: ㅅ + ㅔ + ㅁ ← 셇 [U+C147] Hangul Syllables 셉 → [U+C149]

세섹섺섻센섽섾 섿셀셁셂셃셄셅 셆셇셈셉셊셋셌 셍셎셏셐셑셒셓
서 ←	→ 셔

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 혬〯 (Yale: hyěym). Originally the gerund form of 세다 (seda, “to count”).

Pronunciation

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

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

Noun

셈 • (sem)

1. counting

   그는 간단한 셈도 할 줄 모른다.

   Geuneun gandanhan semdo hal jul moreunda.

   He can't even do simple calculations.

2. thinking, plan, intention

   Synonyms: 생각 (saenggak), 속셈 (soksem)

   차도 없는데 서울까지는 어떻게 갈 셈이냐?

   chado eomneunde seoulkkajineun eotteoke gal seminya?

   You don't even have a car, so how do you plan to get to Seoul?

3. supposition, assumption, pretension

   그 녀석은 일단 없는 셈 치자.

   Geu nyeoseogeun ildan eomneun sem chija.

   Let's just pretend that guy doesn't exist for now.

4. situation, circumstances

Derived terms

counting

• 곱셈 (gopsem)
• 나눗셈 (nanutsem)
• 덧셈 (deotsem)
• 뺄셈 (ppaelsem)

Etymology 2

Noun

셈 • (sem)

1. Hwanghae form of 힘 (him, “strength; power”)