대한민국

Korean

Etymology

Sino-Korean word from 대한(大韓) (Daehan, “Korea”) + 민국(民國) (min'guk, “republic”), which is based on 대한 제국(大韓帝國) (Daehan jeguk, “The Empire of Korea”). According to 1946 Joseon Sangsik Mundap of Choe Nam-seon, 대(大) (dae, “grand”) is used before 한(韓) (han, “Korea”) to distinguish it from the traditional smaller Hans (삼한(三韓) (Samhan)). The use of 大 (“grand”) in a name of empire is a Chinese tradition (ex. 大日本帝國, 大英帝國)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈtɛ(ː)ɦa̠nminɡuk̚] ~ [ˈte̞(ː)ɦa̠nminɡuk̚]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [대(ː)한민국/데(ː)한민국]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	Daehanmin'guk
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	Daehanmingug
McCune–Reischauer?	Taehanmin'guk
Yale Romanization?	tāyhanminkwuk

Proper noun

대한민국 • (Daehanmin'guk) (hanja 大韓民國)

1. Republic of Korea (South Korea)
2. (South Korea) Korea

Synonyms

• 한국(韓國) (Han'guk)
• 남한(南韓) (Namhan)
• 남조선(南朝鮮) (Namjoseon)
• 헬조선(朝鮮) (Heljoseon) (derogatory)
• 개한민국 (Gaehanmin'guk) (derogatory)

Meronyms

• Provinces: 경기도(京畿道) (Gyeonggido), 강원도(江原道) (Gang'wondo), 충청북도(忠淸北道) (Chungcheongbukdo), 충청남도(忠淸南道) (Chungcheongnamdo), 경상북도(慶尙北道) (Gyeongsangbukdo), 경상남도(慶尙南道) (Gyeongsangnamdo), 전라북도(全羅北道) (Jeollabukdo), 전라남도(全羅南道) (Jeollanamdo)

Descendants

• → Chinese: 大韓民國／大韩民国 (Dàhán Mínguó)
• → Japanese: 大韓民国(だいかんみんこく) (daikan minkoku)
• → Vietnamese: Đại Hàn Dân Quốc