이유

Korean

Alternative forms

• 리유 (riyu) (North Korea)

Etymology

Sino-Korean word from 理由, from 理 (“ruling”) + 由 (“cause”)

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

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

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	iyu
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	iyu
McCune–Reischauer?	iyu
Yale Romanization?	ī.yu

Noun

이유 • (iyu) (hanja 理由)

1. reason, cause
   • 정당한 이유로 ― jeongdanghan iyuro ― for good cause
   • 정당한 이유 없이 ― jeongdanghan iyu eopsi ― without good cause
   • 이유 여하를 묻지 않다.

     iyu yeohareul mutji anta.

     without getting into the whys and wherefores of the reasons