# 이마
## Korean
### Etymology 1

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 니맣〮 (Yale: nìmáh), from pre-Middle Korean *nìmák. Beyond Middle Korean, the second syllable in Jeolla dialect 대망 (daemang, “forehead”) and Jeju 대맹이 (daemaeng'i, “head”) may suggest that *-mak was originally a separate morpheme; these two words seem to share the same first morpheme as 대가리 (daegari, “head”), which is widely recognized as a compound. *nìmák may then originally have been multimorphemic. However, it is also possible that 대망 (daemang, “forehead”) is simply unrelated and has no bearing on the etymology of 이마 (ima).

#### Alternative forms

* 니마 (nima) — Early Modern

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ima̠]
* Phonetic hangul: [이마]

#### Noun

이마 • (ima)
* forehead, brow
    Synonyms: (vulgar) 이마빡 (imappak), (vulgar) 마빡 (mappak)
    네 이마에 그 혹은 어쩌다 생긴 거니?Ne ima-e geu hog-eun eojjeoda saenggin geo-ni?How did you get that bump on your forehead?

##### Synonyms

Historical and regional synonyms of 이마 (ima, “forehead (non-vulgar)”) :
| view map; ||||
| Group | Region | Location | Words |
| Standardised forms | South Korean Standard Language | South Korean Standard Language | 이마 (ima) |
| Standardised forms | North Korean Cultured Language | North Korean Cultured Language | 이마 (ima) |
| Historical forms | Middle Korean | Middle Korean | 니맣〮 (nìmáh) |
| Historical forms | Early Modern Seoul Korean | Early Modern Seoul Korean | 니맣 (nima), 니마 (nima), 이마 (ima) (from 19th c.) |
| Central Korean | Gyeonggi | Modern colloquial Seoul | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Gyeonggi | Ganghwa | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Gyeonggi | Yangpyeong | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Gyeonggi | Icheon | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Yeongseo | Chuncheon | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Yeongseo | Wonju | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Yeongseo | Inje | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Yeongseo | Hongcheon | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Central Korean | Yeongseo | Hoengseong | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Gangneung | 이마 (ímà) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Kowon | 이망 (imang) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Tongchon | 이망 (imang) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Kosong | 이망 (imang) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Yangyang | 이마 (ima), 이망 (imang) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Samcheok | 이마 (ímà) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Pyeongchang | 이마 (ima), 이망 (imang) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Yeongwol | 이마 (ímà) |
| Central Korean | Yeongdong | Jeongseon | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Cheongju | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Chungju | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Jecheon | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Danyang | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Goesan | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Boeun | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Okcheon | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | North Chungcheong | Yeongdong | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Seosan | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Cheonan | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Yesan | 이마 (īma) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Gongju | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Seocheon | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Nonsan | 이마 (ima) |
| Central Korean | South Chungcheong | Geumsan | 이마 (ima) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Daegu | '이마 ( ima), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Yeongju | '이마 ( ima), 이막 (ímàk) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Bonghwa | '이마 ( ima), 이막 (ímàk) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Uljin | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Mungyeong | '이마 ( ima), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Andong | '이마 ( ima) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Sangju | '이마 ( ima), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Uiseong | '이마 ( ima) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Cheongsong | '이마 ( ima), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Yeongdeok | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Gimcheon | '이마 ( ima), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Pohang | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Seongju | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Yeongcheon | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Goryeong | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Cheongdo | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Gyeongju | 이매 (ímè), 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | North Gyeongsang | Ulleung | 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Busan | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Ulsan | 이망 (ímàng), 이막 (ímàk), 이매 (ímè) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Changwon | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Geochang | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Hapcheon | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Changnyeong | 이망 (ímàng), 이막 (ímàk) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Miryang | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Hamyang | 이망 (ímàng), 이막 (ímàk) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Sancheong | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Hadong | 이망 (ímàng), 이막 (ímàk) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Jinju | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Haman | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Gimhae | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Yangsan | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Goseong | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Namhae | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Tongyeong | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | South Gyeongsang | Geoje | 이망 (ímàng) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | Diaspora | Yanbian (in general) | '이마 ( ima) |
| Gyeongsang Korean | Diaspora | Harbin | 이매 (ímè) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Gunsan | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Iksan | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Wanju | 이마 (ima) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Jinan | 이마 (ima) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Muju | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Jeongeup | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Imsil | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Jangsu | 이매 (imae), 이망 (imang) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Gochang | 이마 (ima), 이매 (ime) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Sunchang | 이마 (ima), 이망 (imang) |
| Jeolla Korean | North Jeolla | Namwon | 이마 (ima), 이매 (imae) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Yeonggwang | 이매 (ime) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Jangseong | 이매 (ime) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Gurye | 이망 (imang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Mokpo | 이망 (imang), 대망 (demang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Hwasun | 이매 (ime) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Suncheon | 이망 (imang), 대망 (demang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Gwangyang | 이매 (imae), 이망 (imang), 대망 (demang), 되멩이 (doemeng'i) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Yeongam | 이매 (ime) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Haenam | 이마 (ima) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Jangheung | 이망 (imang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Boseong | 이망 (imang), 야망 (yamang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Goheung | 이망 (imang), 대망 (demang) |
| Jeolla Korean | South Jeolla | Yeosu | 이망 (imang), 대망 (demang) |
| Pyongan Korean | North Pyongan | Uiju | 니망 (nimang) |
| Pyongan Korean | Diaspora | Shenyang | 니마 (nima) (general Liaoning Korean, no region specified) |
| Hamgyong Korean | Diaspora | Yanbian (in general) | 이'매 (i mae) |
| Yukjin Korean | Yukjin | Kyonghung | 니매 (nìmáe) |
| Yukjin Korean | Diaspora | Hunchun | 니매 (nìmáe) |
| Jeju | Jeju | Jeju City | 이멩이 (imeng'i), 이멍 (imeong) |
| Jeju | Jeju | Daejeong | 이멩이 (imeng'i), 이멍 (imeong) |
| Jeju | Jeju | Gujwa | 이멩이 (imeng'i), 이멍 (imeong), 임뎅이 (imdeng'i) |
| Jeju | Jeju | Seogwipo | 이멩이 (imeng'i), 이멍 (imeong), 임뎅이 (imdeng'i) |
| Note: Korean varieties also have vulgar 이마빡 and variants; the extent to which the vulgar form is acceptable in conversation, or even colloquially preferred, will vary according to dialect. ||||
| This table is an amalgamation of surveys of speakers mostly born before 1950 and may not reflect the language of younger speakers, which has lexically converged towards the standard Seoul dialect in both North and South Koreas. ||||

### Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 理 (“manage”) + 馬 (“horse”).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ˈi(ː)ma̠]
* Phonetic hangul: [이(ː)마]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Noun

| South Korean Standard Language | 이마(理馬) (ima) |
| North Korean Standard Language | 리마(理馬) (rima) |
이마 • (ima) (hanja 理馬)
* (historical) a steward of the royal stable between 1401 and the nineteenth century