소설

Korean

Pronunciation

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

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	soseol
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	soseol
McCune–Reischauer?	sosŏl
Yale Romanization?	sōsel

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 小說, from 小 (“trivial”) + 說 (“words”).

Noun

소설 • (soseol) (hanja 小說)

1. fictional literature; fictional story

   Hypernym: 문학(文學) (munhak, “literature”)

   Coordinate terms: 시(詩) (si, “poetry”), 수필(隨筆) (supil, “literary essay”)

   소설을 읽음으로써 사람들은 잠시 현실로부터 벗어날 수 있다.

   Soseor-eul ilgeum-eurosseo saram-deur-eun jamsi hyeonsil-lobuteo beoseonal su itda.

   By reading fiction, people can escape from reality for a while.

Hyponyms

• 단편소설(短編小說) (danpyeonsoseol, “short story”)
• 중편소설(中篇小說) (jungpyeonsoseol, “novella”)
• 장편소설(長編小說) (jangpyeonsoseol, “novel”)
• 대하소설(大河小說) (daehasoseol, “epic novel series”)

Use of these terms is slightly technical. Koreans will usually say 소설(小說) (soseol) where an English speaker would use the more specific term novel.

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 小雪.

Proper noun

소설 • (Soseol) (hanja 小雪)

1. one of the twenty-four solar terms

See also

• 이십사절기(二十四節氣) (Isipsajeolgi, “The twenty-four solar terms”):
  • Spring: 입춘(立春) (Ipchun), 우수(雨水) (Usu), 경칩(驚蟄) (Gyeongchip), 춘분(春分) (Chunbun), 청명(淸明) (Cheongmyeong), 곡우(穀雨) (Gogu)
  • Summer: 입하(立夏) (Ipha), 소만(小滿) (Soman), 망종(芒種) (Mangjong), 하지(夏至) (Haji), 소서(小暑) (Soseo), 대서(大暑) (Daeseo)
  • Autumn: 입추(立秋) (Ipchu), 처서(處暑) (Cheoseo), 백로(白露) (Baengno), 추분(秋分) (Chubun), 한로(寒露) (Hallo), 상강(霜降) (Sanggang)
  • Winter: 입동(立冬) (Ipdong), 소설(小雪) (soseol), 대설(大雪) (Daeseol), 동지(冬至) (Dongji), 소한(小寒) (Sohan), 대한(大寒) (Daehan)