Korean word

기대다

Pronunciation

Romanizationkidaeda

Meaning

  • verblean against

Example

벽에 기대고 책을 읽었어요.pyeo ge ki dae go chae geul il geo sseo yo

I leaned against the wall and read a book.

Illustration for 기대다 (lean against)

More examples

난간에 기대고 바다를 바라봤다.nan ga ne ki dae go pa da reul pa ra bwat tta

I leaned against the railing and looked out at the sea.

Core concept

Weight shifts onto a nearby support, allowing the body to rest without standing fully on its own.

Common phrases

  • 벽에 기대다pyeo ge ki dae da

    lean against a wall

  • 어깨에 기대다eo kkae e ki dae da

    lean against a shoulder

  • 난간에 기대다nan ga ne ki dae da

    lean against a railing

Similar words

의지하다uijihada: Depending on a person or source for help or comfort in a difficult time.
기대하다kidaehada: Hoping for a favorable future result and waiting for it to happen.
받치다patchida: Supporting something from below or the side so it does not fall.

Definition in Korean

몸의 무게를 다른 물체나 사람에게 기대어 지탱하거나 쉬다.mo mui mu ge reul ta reun mul che na sa ra me ge ki dae eo chi taeng ha geo na swi da

Word origin

The historical formation of this native Korean verb is uncertain, so it is best remembered through its physical meaning of using something for support and its related sense of relying on someone.

Usage tips

  • The supporting object is commonly marked with the Korean location particle, a pattern that helps identify what receives the body's weight.

Other meanings

  • rely onverb

Word lists with this word