은

은 U+C740, 은 HANGUL SYLLABLE EUN Composition: ㅇ + ㅡ + ㄴ Dubeolsik input: d-m-s ← 윿 [U+C73F] Hangul Syllables 읁 → [U+C741]

Korean

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɯn]
• Phonetic hangeul: [은]

Revised Romanization? eun Revised Romanization (translit.)? eun McCune–Reischauer? ŭn Yale Romanization? un

Etymology 1

으윽윾윿은읁읂 읃을읅읆읇읈읉 읊읋음읍읎읏읐 응읒읓읔읕읖읗
유 ←	→ 의

Syllable

은 • (eun)

1. A Hangul syllabic block made up of ㅇ, ㅡ, and ㄴ.

Etymology 2

Of native Korean origin.

Particle

은 • (eun)

1. Used to mark the topic of the sentence, which is not to be confused with the subject of the sentence.

   그것은 큰 책이야. — 맞아, 맞아, 피트. 

   Geugeoseun keun chaegiya. maja, maja, piteu.

   It is a big book. — Yes. Yes it is, Pete.

   Original English texts from 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

   네, 어제 일은 얘기하지 않기로 하지요. 

   Ne, eoje ireun yaegihaji ankiro hajiyo.

   Well, let’s not talk about yesterday.

   Original English texts from 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

2. Depending on context, shows contrast with or adds emphasis to the preceding word or phrase in a sentence.

Usage notes

• 은 (eun) is always used after a word (a noun, a noun phrase, or a nominalized verb/adjective in ㅁ (m) form), ending in a consonant. Identical in meaning to 는 (neun) which is only used after a word ending in a vowel.

• (topic marker): The topic is what is being talked about in the sentence, it is the main point. This however is different in meaning from the subject which the predicate directly refers to. The topic and subject may be the same in a sentence. For example,
  • 매리는 내 친구다. 

    Maerineun nae chin-guda.

    Mary is my friend.

  In this case "Mary" is the topic (and the subject) of this sentence and "is my friend" is the predicate. However, in many cases, the subject and topic are different.

  • 이 반은 학생이 똑똑하다 

    i baneun haksaeng-i ttokttokhada

    Speaking of this class, the students are smart.

  Above, the topic is "this class" while the subject is "the students".

  In cases like this, the topic can often be thought of as a range, or to what extent the sentence is applicable. In the example above, if "speaking of this class" was removed, the sentence would not be limited to "this class", and would talk about all students in general.

• (contrast/emphasis marker): 은 (eun), can be placed after most case markers (including 가 (ga), 를 (reul), 에 (e), 에게 (ege), 에서 (eseo), 로 (ro), 과 (gwa)) to show contrast between two or more choices or add emphasis to a word or phrase, depending on the context. If used after 가 (ga) or 를 (reul), the 가 (ga) or 를 (reul) are deleted leaving only 은 (eun).
  • 나는 서울에 가고 싶다. 

    Naneun seoure gago sipda.

    I want to go to Seoul.

  • 나는 서울에는 가고 싶다. 

    Naneun seoureneun gago sipda.

    I want to go to Seoul (and not Busan). / I want to (especially) go to Seoul.

  • 나는 존에게 책을 주었다. 

    Naneun jonege chaegeul jueotda.

    I gave John a book.

  • 나는 존에게는 책을 주었다. 

    Naneun jonegeneun chaegeul jueotda.

    I gave John (and not Fred) a book. / I gave (especially) John a book.

  In cases where there are two cases of either 는 (neun) or 은 (eun) in a sentence it is assumed that the first usage refers to the topic while the second usage refers to some contrast or emphasis.

Synonyms

• (used after a word ending in a vowel): 는 (neun)

See also

• 이 (i), 가 (ga)

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 銀 (“silver”)

Noun

은 • (eun) (hanja 銀)

1. silver

Derived terms

• 백은 (白銀, baegeun)
• 은어 (銀魚, euneo)
• 은하 (銀河, eunha)
• 은행 (銀行, eunhaeng)
• 은화 (銀貨, eunhwa)

 

Etymology 4

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

은 (eun)

1. 恩:

   (MC reading: 恩 (MC ʔən))

2. 銀:

   (MC reading: 銀 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

3. 隱:

   (MC reading: 隱 (MC ʔɨn^X, ʔɨn^H))

4. 垠:

   (MC reading: 垠 (MC ŋˠiɪn, ŋɨn, ŋən))

5. 殷:

   (MC reading: 殷 (MC ʔɨn, ʔˠɛn))

6. 誾:

   (MC reading: 誾 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

7. 溵:

   (MC reading: 溵 (MC ʔɨn))

8. 珢:

   (MC reading: 珢 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

9. 慇:

   (MC reading: 慇 (MC ʔɨn))

10. 濦:

    (MC reading: 濦)

11. 㒚:

    (MC reading: 㒚 (MC ʔɨn^H))

12. 听:

    (MC reading: 听 (MC ŋiɪn^X, ŋɨn^X))

13. 𤨒: personal name

    (eumhun reading: 사람 이름 은 (saram ireum eun))
    (MC reading: 𤨒)

14. 圻:

    (MC reading: 圻 (MC ŋɨn, ŋən))

15. 蘟:

    (MC reading: 蘟)

16. 檼:

    (MC reading: 檼 (MC ʔɨn^H))

17. 檃:

    (MC reading: 檃)

18. 蒑:

    (MC reading: 蒑)

19. 泿:

    (MC reading: 泿 (MC ŋˠiɪn, ŋən))

20. 蒽:

    (MC reading: 蒽)

21. 憖:

    (MC reading: 憖)

22. 圁:

    (MC reading: 圁 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

23. 嶾:

    (MC reading: 嶾 (MC ʔɨn^X))

24. 𪙤:

    (MC reading: 𪙤 (MC ŋiɪn^X))

25. ⿰氵恩:

    (MC reading: ⿰氵恩 (MC ʔən))

26. 嚚:

    (MC reading: 嚚 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

27. 垽:

    (MC reading: 垽 (MC ŋˠiɪn^H, ŋɨn^H))

28. 狺:

    (MC reading: 狺 (MC ŋˠiɪn, ŋɨn))

29. 癮:

    (MC reading: 癮)

30. 訔:

    (MC reading: 訔 (MC ŋˠiɪn))

31. 鄞:

    (MC reading: 鄞 (MC ŋˠiɪn, ŋɨn))

32. 齗:

    (MC reading: 齗 (MC ŋɨn, ŋiɪn^X))

33. 𨶡: Alternative form of 誾

    (MC reading: 𨶡)

References

• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin-guk daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, inmyeong-yonghanjapyo). [1]