보다

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [po̞da̠]

  • Audio:

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• Phonetic hangul: [보다]

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 보다〮 (Yale: pwòtá). Cognate with Jeju 보다 (boda).

보다 • (boda) (infinitive 봐 or 보아, sequential 보니) (transitive)

1. to see, to look at, to watch (to perceive with the eyes)

   영화를 보다 ― yeonghwa-reul boda ― to watch a film

   그들은 여러가지 화초를 보고 있다.

   Geudeur-eun yeoreogaji hwacho-reul bogo itda.

   They are looking at various plants.

2. to look after (a baby, child, house, etc.)

   아이를 보다 ― ai-reul boda ― to look after a child

3. (of a food or product) to try, to examine (before the meal or purchase)

   미리 맛을 보다 ― miri mas-eul boda ― to taste the food beforehand

4. (auxiliary, with the infinitive) to experience

   한국에 가 본 적이 있어요?

   han'gug-e ga bon jeog-i isseo-yo?

   Have you ever been to Korea?

   (literally, “Have you experienced going to Korea?”)

5. (auxiliary, after the infinitive) to try, to try out

   한번 생각해 볼게요.

   Hanbeon saenggakhae bolge-yo.

   I'll consider it.

   (literally, “I'll try thinking about it.”)

   이거 좀 봐봐.

   Igeo jom bwabwa.

   Have a look at this.

   (literally, “Try looking at this.”)

6. (auxiliary, with 고 or 다(가)) Used to denote that the experience of the main verb has led to a certain conclusion or realization.

   살다 보니 인생 별거 아니더라.

   Salda boni insaeng byeolgeo anideora.

   Now that I've lived for a while, life really isn't something special.

7. to consider, to regard

   Synonyms: 여기다 (yeogida), 생각하다 (saenggakhada)

   그는 공산주의을 좋게 본다.

   Geu-neun gongsanjuui-eul joke bonda.

   He has a favorable attitude towards Communism.

8. to read (not out loud)

   Synonym: 읽다 (ikda)

   보는 신문 ― boneun sinmun ― the newspaper one is subscribed to

9. to meet (for a prearranged purpose)

   Hypernym: 만나다 (mannada, “to meet (in general)”)

   우리 며칠에 볼까?

   uri myeochir-e bolkka?

   Which day should we meet up on?

10. (of an examination) to take

    시험을 잘 보면 좋겠습니다.

    Siheom-eul jal bomyeon joketseumnida.

    I hope I do well on the test.

    (literally, “It would be good if I take the test well.”)

11. (of divination or fortune-telling) to consult

    용한 만신을 찾아가서 점을 보다

    yonghan mansin-eul chajagaseo jeom-eul boda

    to seek out a powerful priestess and consult her divination

12. to be in charge of

    Synonyms: 맡다 (matda), 도맡다 (domatda)

13. (of profits or losses) to make

    이윤도 못 볼 판에 장사할 이유는 없다.

    Iyundo mot bol pan-e jangsahal iyu-neun eopda.

    There is no reason to do business when you will even not be able to make a gain.

14. (euphemistic) to relieve oneself

    소변을 보다 ― sobyeon-eul boda ― to urinate

15. (of a child, grandchild, child-in-law) to get

    드디어 아들을 보다 ― deudieo adeur-eul boda ― He got a son at last.

• When used as an auxiliary, the verb can be either spaced or not spaced from the main verb; the National Institute of Korean Language permits both spellings. Hence 해보다 (haeboda) and 해 보다 (hae boda) are both permissible.
• (to try): This verb does not mean "to try hard", but "to try out; to sample". For "try purposefully", use —려(고) 하다 (-ryeo(go) hada) or —려고 노력하다 (-ryeogo noryeokhada). Compare Japanese 見(み)る (miru).

보다 • (boda) (infinitive 봐 or 보아, sequential 보니) (defective, auxiliary)

1. to seem (only in the present declarative conjugations)

   겨울도 끝나가나 봐.

   Gyeouldo kkeunnagana bwa.

   It looks like winter is coming to an end too.

2. to intend to (only in the present declarative conjugations, often threat)

   너가 계속 이러면 확 죽어버릴까 보다.

   Neoga gyesok ireomyeon hwak jugeobeorilkka boda.

   If you keep being like this, I'm going to kill myself.

3. to be out of fear that (only in the forms 봐 (bwa), 봐서 (bwaseo))

   더울까봐 나시를 입었어.

   Deoulkkabwa nasi-reul ibeosseo.

   I wore a sleeveless shirt because I was worried it might be hot.

4. to be given that (only in the form 보니 (boni))

Defective; only attested in limited forms such as 봐 (bwa), 보니 (boni), 봐서 (bwaseo). See the full conjugation of the main verb above.

From -보다 (-boda, “than”, particle used for comparisons). Ultimately a semantic loan from Japanese より (yori).

보다 • (boda)

1. than; used after nouns or phrases to indicate a basis of comparison.

   그는 나보다 키가 크다.

   Geuneun naboda kiga keuda.

   He is taller than me.

   이 책이 저 책보다 더 재미있다.

   I chaegi jeo chaekboda deo jaemiitda.

   This book is more interesting than that one.

• Extremely common in both spoken and written Korean.
• Often followed by intensifiers like 더 (deo) (“more”), but can also stand alone.
• Distinct from the adverbial use of 보다 (boda) (“more, relatively”).

From adverbial extension of -보다 (-boda).

보다 • (boda)

1. relatively, more

   보다 높게

   boda nopge

   relatively higher

   보다 열심히

   boda yeolsimhi

   relatively more diligently

   Audio:

   (file)

• Not very common in colloquial speech.
• Appears more often in formal or written style, e.g. academic or journalistic texts.
• Distinct from the particle -보다 (-boda).

• IPA^(key): /pò.tá/, [pò.dá]

보다〮 (pwòtá) (infinitive 보아〮, sequential 보니〮) (transitive)

1. to see, to look at, to watch (to perceive with the eyes)
   • 1447, 《석보상절 / 釋譜詳節》 3:11ㄱ

     ᄒᆞᆫ 玉女 ᄀᆞᄐᆞ시니ᄅᆞᆯ 보ᅀᆞᆸ고 와 ᄉᆞᆯᄫᅩᄃᆡ 執杖釋의 ᄯᆞ니미 겨시더ᅌᅵ다.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1459, 《월인석보 / 月印釋譜》 18:21ㄱ

     이 經을 보ᅀᆞᆸ건댄 智로 體ᄅᆞᆯ 셰시고.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (auxiliary, with 어〮 (e)) to try, to try out
3. (auxiliary, with 어〮 (e)) to experience

• The modern verb 보다 (boda) has been in continuous use since the 15th century with little change.
• Some Middle Korean texts show orthographic variants like 보ᅀᆞ (with 반치음 ㅿ), which are rare and symbolic, like the “eye-in-pyramid” on a dollar bill.

• Korean: 보다 (boda)
• Jeju: 보다 (boda)