Etymology

Inherited from Middle KoreanCategory:Korean terms inherited from Middle Korean#사람Category:Korean terms derived from Middle Korean#사람 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (sǎlòm), first attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446.

From earlier Old KoreanCategory:Korean terms inherited from Old Korean#사람Category:Korean terms derived from Old Korean#사람 人音 (*SALOm), first attested in the “Suhui gongdeokga” (隨喜功德歌 / 수희공덕가), before 973. The word is also attested as Old Korean 人米 in the same source.

The Middle Korean form, 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (Yale: sǎlòm), is analyzed as a derived substantive of 살〯다〮 (Yale: sǎl-tá, “to live”) with ᄋᆞᆷ (Yale: -om, nominalizer) (> modern 음 (eum)), and thus literally meant "one who is alive".^[1] It is no longer perceived as a derived noun by modern speakers. Doublet of 삶 (sam)Category:Korean doublets#사람.

Cognate with Jeju 사름 (sareum).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠m]Category:Korean terms with long vowels in the first syllable#사람

  • Audio:

    (file)

    Category:Korean terms with audio pronunciation#사람
• Phonetic hangul: [사(ː)람]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 사람의 / 사람에 / 사람까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, and also heightens the subsequent suffixed syllable.

  Category:Korean terms with dialectal pitch accent marked

Noun

사람 • (saram)Category:Korean lemmas#사람Category:Korean nouns#사람Category:Korean terms with redundant script codes#사람Category:Korean terms with redundant transliterations#사람Category:Korean entries with incorrect language header#사람Category:Pages with entries#사람Category:Pages with 1 entry#사람

1. human being, person

   Synonyms: 인간(人間) (in'gan, “human being”), (honorific) 분 (bun), (dated, formal) 이 (i)

   그러면 내가 어떤 사람이 되는 거겠어?

   geureomyeon nae-ga eotteon saram-i doeneun geo-ges-seo?

   What kind of person would I be then?

   Category:Korean terms with usage examples#사람

   영국 사람 ― Yeongguk saram ― A British personCategory:Korean terms with usage examples#사람

   미국 사람 ― Miguk saram ― An American personCategory:Korean terms with usage examples#사람

2. (lawCategory:ko:Law#사람) a person (encompassing both legal and natural persons)

   Synonym: 인(人) (in)

   Hyponyms: 법인(法人) (beobin, “legal person”), 자연인(自然人) (jayeonin, “natural person”)

Counter

사람 • (saram)Category:Korean lemmas#사람Category:Korean counters#사람Category:Korean terms with redundant script codes#사람Category:Korean terms with redundant transliterations#사람Category:Korean entries with incorrect language header#사람Category:Pages with entries#사람Category:Pages with 1 entry#사람

1. counter for people

   Synonym: 명(名) (myeong)

   학생 세 사람 ― haksaeng se saram ― three studentsCategory:Korean terms with usage examples#사람

References