Korean word

꼬리

Pronunciation

Romanizationkkori

Meaning

  • nountail

Example

고양이가 꼬리를 흔들고 있어요.ko yang i ga kko ri reul heun deul go i sseo yo

The cat is wagging its tail.

Illustration for 꼬리 (tail)

More examples

여우는 꼬리가 길어서 멀리서도 눈에 띄었어요.yeo u neun kko ri ga ki reo seo meol li seo do nu ne tti eo sseo yo

The fox had a long tail, so it stood out even from far away.

Core concept

A body part that trails behind an animal, and by extension anything that follows or remains at the end.

Common phrases

  • 꼬리를 흔들다kko ri reul heun deul da

    wag one's tail

  • 꼬리가 길다kko ri ga kil da

    have a long tail

Similar words

꼬랑지kkorangji: An informal everyday term for an animal's tail.

Definition in Korean

동물의 꼬리뿐 아니라 어떤 일의 뒤에 남는 자취나 뒤를 따르는 존재를 뜻하는 말로도 쓰인다.tong mu rui kko ri ppun a ni ra eo tteon i rui twi e nam neun cha chwi na twi reul tta reu neun chon jae reul tteu ta neun mal lo do sseu in da

Word origin

The word's historical origin is uncertain, but the picture of a tail trailing behind gives a useful memory link to things that follow or remain.

Usage tips

  • Stories may use this noun for a clue left after an event, so words about tracks, marks, or remains can reveal that the meaning is not a body part.

Other meanings

  • endnoun
  • last in linenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word