TOPIK · Level 124
16 words
Korean word
무어
Pronunciation
Romanizationmueo
Meaning
- pronounwhat
Example
그가 무어라 말했는지 기억이 안 나.keu ga mu eo ra mal haen neun ji ki eo gi an na
I don't remember what he said.
More examples
회의에서 상사가 무어라고 말했는지 궁금해.hoe ui e seo sang sa ga mu eo ra go mal haen neun ji kung geum hae
I wonder what my boss said at the meeting.
Core concept
A formal pointer to what a person said, especially when the exact wording matters.
Similar words
뭐mwo: A short spoken question word for an unknown thing or fact.
뭐라고mworago: A quoted form used to ask what a person said or to introduce their words.
무엇mueot: A careful question word asking which thing, matter, or kind is meant.
Definition in Korean
대명사로, 주로 말을 인용하거나 상대의 발언 내용을 물을 때 쓰이는 문어적 표현으로 '무어라' 같은 형태로 나타난다.tae myeong sa ro chu ro ma reul i nyong ha geo na sang dae ui pa reon nae yong eul mu reul ttae sseu i neun mu neo jeok pyo hyeo neu ro mu eo ra ka teun hyeong tae ro na ta nan da
Word origin
The form comes from an earlier Korean expression for what and later became less common in ordinary speech as a shorter form spread.
Usage tips
- Learners can treat its register as the key point: it is useful to understand in texts but is not usually the natural choice for relaxed conversation.