Korean word

불과

Pronunciation

Romanizationpulgwa

Meaning

  • nounonly

Example

시간은 불과 10분뿐이었다.si ga neun pul gwa 10 pun ppu ni eot tta

The time was only 10 minutes.

Illustration for 불과 (only)

More examples

실수는 불과 한 번이었다.sil su neun pul gwa han peo ni eot tta

The mistake happened only once.

Core concept

A small amount presented as no more than that, with attention on how little it is.

Common phrases

  • 불과 10분pul gwa 10 pun

    only 10 minutes

  • 불과 한 달pul gwa han tal

    only a month

Definition in Korean

수량이나 정도가 매우 적어 단지 그만큼임을 나타내는 말.su ryang i na cheong do ga mae u cheo geo tan ji keu man keu mi meul na ta nae neun mal

Word origin

It comes from the Sino-Korean elements meaning not exceeding, which developed into a limiter for a very small amount or degree.

Usage tips

  • It often appears with numbers, amounts, or time spans to draw attention to their unexpectedly small size.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word