벼락

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Bullyu dugongbu si eonhae (分類杜工部詩諺解 / 분류두공부시언해), 1481, as Middle Korean 벼〮락〮 (Yale: pyélák).

Nativisation of the Sino-Korean term 벽력 (霹靂, byeongnyeok).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pjʌ̹ɾa̠k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [벼락]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	byeorak
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	byeolag
McCune–Reischauer?	pyŏrak
Yale Romanization?	pyelak

South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 벼락의 / 벼락에 / 벼락까지

Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch on both syllables, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

벼락 • (byeorak)

1. lightning (stroke)

Synonyms

• 번개 (beon'gae, “lightning”)
• 번갯불 (beon'gaetbul, “lightning (flash)”)
• 전광 (電光, jeon'gwang, “lightning (flash)”)
• 벽력 (霹靂, byeongnyeok, “lightning (stroke)”)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 벼락감투 (byeorakgamtu, “a public officer high-ranked overnight”)
• 벼락공부 (—工夫, byeorakgongbu, “cramming (for an exam)”)
• 벼락맞다 (byeorangmatda, “to be hit, struck by lightning”)
• 벼락부자 (—富者, byeorakbuja, “a man of overnight wealth”)
• 벼락치기 (byeorakchigi, “cramming (as for an exam)”)
• 벼락치다 (byeorakchida, “(for lightning) to hit, strike”)

See also

• 우레 (ure, “thunder”)
• 천둥 (cheondung, “thunder”)