Korean word

지경

Pronunciation

Romanizationchigyeong

Meaning

  • nounsituation

Example

차가 고장 나서 집에 못 가는 지경이에요.cha ga ko jang na seo chi be mot ka neun chi gyeong i e yo

The car broke down, leaving me unable to get home.

Illustration for 지경 (situation)

More examples

월세가 올라 생활이 곤란해져 살기 힘든 지경이에요.wol se ga ol la saeng hwa ri kol lan hae jeo sal gi him deun chi gyeong i e yo

The rent went up, making life difficult to the point where I could barely get by.

Core concept

A situation viewed at the point or degree it has reached, often an extreme one.

Common phrases

  • 살기 힘든 지경이다sal gi him deun chi gyeong i da

    be in a situation where it is hard to live

  • 난감한 지경이다nan gam han chi gyeong i da

    be in an awkward situation

Similar words

상황sanghwang: The conditions and background surrounding an event or matter.
처지cheoji: A person's current circumstances and place in life, especially when difficult.
상태sangtae: The way a person or thing is at a given time, including feelings and atmosphere.
형편hyeongpyeon: The practical conditions of life, especially money and available resources.

Definition in Korean

어떤 일이나 상태가 이르러 도달한 한계나 정도를 가리키는 말로, 특히 곤란함이나 놀라움·안타까움을 나타낼 때 쓰인다.eo tteon i ri na sang tae ga i reu reo to dal han han gye na cheong do reul ka ri ki neun mal lo teu ki kol lan ha mi na nol la um an ta kka u meul na ta nael ttae sseu in da

Word origin

The Sino-Korean word combines elements meaning land and boundary, originally referring to a boundary or limit and later extending to the degree or condition a situation reaches.

Usage tips

  • In Korean, this noun commonly follows a clause as a compact way to stress how far a situation has gone, rather than simply naming the situation itself.

Other meanings

  • extentnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word