Korean

Alternative forms

• 몰 (mol) (mostly obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma̠ːɭ/
• Phonetic hangeul: 말:

Etymology 2

Of native Korean origin.

Noun

말 • ‎(mal)

1. word, speech, language

Derived terms

• 낱말 (nanmal, “a single word”)
• 한국말 (han-gungmal, “the Korean language”)
• 말씀 (malsseum, “(honorific) word”)
• 말하다 (malhada, “to say, speak, talk”)

See also

• 이르다 (ireuda, “to say”)

Etymology 3

First recorded in the Yongbi eocheonga, 1447, as 𨥬.

Probably related to Japanese 馬 ‎(uma).

The ma sound denoting "horse" is common to a number of languages of central Asia, where horses were first domesticated, suggesting a possible cognate root. Compare Manchu ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ‎(morin, “horse”), Mongol морь ‎(morj, “horse”), Mandarin 馬 ‎(mă, “horse”), and Proto-Indo-European *márkos ‎(“horse”) and descendants such as Irish marc ‎(“horse”, archaic) or English mare ‎(“female horse”). More at *márkos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma̠ɭ/
• Phonetic hangeul: 말

Noun

말 • ‎(mal) ‎(counter 마리)

1. horse
2. sawhorse
3. checker, checkerman

Derived terms

• 망아지 (mang-aji, “pony”)
• 암말 (ammal, “female horse, mare”)
• 수말 (sumal, “male horse”)

Etymology 4

Native Korean related to Sino-Korean 斗

Noun

말 • ‎(mal)

1. measure (containing about 18 liters or 10 doe (되))
2. a unit of measure (about 18 liters)
3. (prefix): great, e.g., 말벌, 말개미, 말잠자리

See also

• 되 (doe): 1/10 mal
• 홉 (hop): 1/100 mal
• 작 (jak): 1/1000 mal

Etymology 5

Short form of 말뚝

Noun

말 • ‎(mal)

1. stake
   • 1461: 橛은 말히라 (楞嚴經諺解 (활자본) 8:85)

Etymology 6

First recorded in the Hunmong jahoe, 1527, as 𨥬.

Noun

말 • ‎(mal)

1. an alga or other waterborne cryptogam
2. seaweed
   1. specifically Potamogeton oxyphyllus.

See also

• 조 (藻, jo)
• 해조 (海藻, haejo)

Etymology 7

Sino-Korean word from 末 ‎(“end”)

Noun

말 • ‎(mal) ‎(hanja 末)

1. end