-으옵-

Korean

Alternative forms

• 오 (-o-) — after vowels or ㄹ (l), before vowels
• 옵 (-op-) — after vowels or ㄹ (l), before consonants
• 으오 (-euo-) — after other consonants, before vowels
• 으옵 (-euop-) — after other consonants, before consonants

Etymology

From Middle Korean ᅀᆞᇦ (Yale: -zòW◌́-, object-honoring suffix), from Old Korean 白 (*SOLPO-). The expected form after consonants is 습 (-seup-), cf. 소 (-so) and 습니다 (-seumnida), but in contemporary Korean an epenthetical vowel was introduced instead to produce 으옵 (-euop).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɯo̞p̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [으옵]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	euop
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	euob
McCune–Reischauer?	ŭop
Yale Romanization?	uop

Suffix

으옵 • (-euop-)

1. (very formal or dated) A highly polite deferential suffix.

   하오니 ― ha-o-ni

   다름이 아니오라 ― dareum-i ani-o-ra

   대자대비 세존께 귀의하옵고 지극정성으로 발원하나이다.

   Daejadaebi sejon-kke gwiui-ha-op-go jigeukjeongseong-euro barwon-ha-naida.

   I turn towards the ever-compassionate World-Honored One [the Buddha], and with utmost devotion I utter my prayer.

Usage notes

• The ㅂ (b) is lost before the epenthetical vowel 으 (-eu-), which itself is elided. This can make it seem as if the 오 (-o-) or 으오 (-euo) combines to consonant-initial suffixes:

  ‎하 (ha-) + ‎으옵 (-euop-) + ‎으니 (-euni) → ‎하오니 (haoni)

  ‎아니 (ani-) + ‎으옵 (-euop-) + ‎으라 (-eura) → ‎아니오라 (aniora)