활개

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Neung'eomgyeong eonhae (楞嚴經諺解 / 능엄경언해), 1461, as Middle Korean 활〮개〮 (Yale: hwálkáy), equivalent to 활 (hwal, “wide”, fossilized root) +‎ 개 (-gae, “-er”, agentive suffix). The first element is also found in the ideophones 활짝 (hwaljjak, “stretched wide (of arms, wings, etc.)”) and 활활 (hwalhwal, “soaring (of birds)”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɸwa̠ɭɡɛ] ~ [ɸwa̠ɭɡe̞]
• Phonetic hangul: [활개/활게]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	hwalgae
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	hwalgae
McCune–Reischauer?	hwalgae
Yale Romanization?	hwal.kay

Noun

활개 • (hwalgae)

1. (of a person) stretched limbs, especially arms

   Hypernym: 팔다리 (paldari)

   활개를 펴다 ― hwalgae-reul pyeoda ― to stretch one's limbs wide

2. (of a bird) stretched wings; open wings

   Hypernym: 날개 (nalgae)

   까마귀는 두리번두리번 망을 보더니 활개를 펼치고 어디론가 훨훨 날아갔다.

   Kkamagwi-neun duribeonduribeon mang-eul bodeoni hwalgae-reul pyeolchigo eodi-ron'ga hwolhwol naragatda.

   The raven kept watch, looking about here and there, and then stretched open its wings and flew off somewhere with gusto.

Derived terms

• 활개치다 (hwalgaechida, “to swagger; to be rampant”, literally “to swing one's arms”)
• 활갯짓 (hwalgaetjit)