갈림길

Korean

FWOTD – 3 October 2014

Etymology

갈림 (gallim, “being divided”, from 갈리다 (gallida, “to be divided”)) +‎ 길 (gil, “road”). Compare 갈래길 (gallaegil, “forked road”), Middle Korean 가린〮길 (kàlínkìl, “forked road”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠ʎʎimk͈iɭ]
• Phonetic hangul: [갈림낄]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gallimgil
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gallimgil
McCune–Reischauer?	kallimkil
Yale Romanization?	kallimqkil

Noun

갈림길 • (gallimgil)

1. forked road, the fork of a road

   갈림길에서 오른쪽으로 접어들다

   gallimgir-eseo oreunjjog-euro jeobeodeulda

   take the right-hand fork

   이 도로를 따라서 곧장 가시면 갈림길이 나올겁니다.

   I doro-reul ttaraseo gotjang gasimyeon gallimgir-i naolgeomnida.

   Go straight down this road till you come to a fork in the road.

2. (figuratively) crossroads, turning point or opportunity to change direction, course, or goal

   갈림길에 서다 ― gallimgir-e seoda ― stand at the crossroads

   • 2014, 전북경찰, 추석 연휴 생사 갈림길 시민구조 빛났다

     전북지역 경찰관들의 슬기로운 대응이 추석 연휴기간 생사(生死)의 갈림길에 놓였던 시민들을 잇따라 구조해 주목을 받고 있다.

     Jeonbukjiyeok gyeongchalgwan-deur-ui seulgiroun daeeung-i chuseok yeonhyugigan saengsa-ui gallimgir-e noyeotdeon simin-deur-eul itttara gujohae jumog-eul batgo itda.

     The wise rescue actions of policemen in the Jeonbuk region during the Harvest Festival holiday period, in response to civilians who were at the crossroads of life and death, have put themselves under the spotlight.

Synonyms

• 갈래길 (gallaegil), 쌍갈래길 (雙—, ssanggallaegil, “forked road”)
• 교차로 (交叉路, gyocharo, “intersection”)
• 기로 (岐路, giro, “fork; crossroads”)
• 네거리 (negeori, “crossroads”)