# 비

| 비 | U+BE44, &#48708; HANGUL SYLLABLE BI |
| Composition: | ㅂ + ㅣ |
| ← 빃 [U+BE43] | Hangul Syllables | 빅 → [U+BE45] |
비빅빆빇빈빉빊 빋빌빍빎빏빐빑 빒빓빔빕빖빗빘 빙빚빛빜빝빞빟 :
| 븨 ← | → 빠 |

## Korean
### Etymology 1

First attested in the Jīlín lèishì (鷄林類事 / 계림유사), 1103, as Late Old Korean 霏微 (Yale: *piWi). Hence the word was originally disyllabic; Alexander Vovin believes it was borrowed from Tungusic, in this case, it would ultimately be from Proto-Tungusic *pigi- (“to blow; rain”).
However, Hyunkyu Shin suggests that remaining editions of Jīlín lèishì misinterpreted the original, that 微 was originally a part of the following explanation "微雪下曰 嫩耻" (small amount of snowfall is called "*nwun ti"), and that "rain" should correspond to only 霏 (Yale: *pi).
In the hangul script, first attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 비〮 (Yale: pí).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [pi]
* Phonetic hangul: [비]
* South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 비의 / 비에 / 비까지Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable.

#### Noun

비 • (bi)
* rain
    어릴 적 나는 비가 하늘이 내려 주는 공짜 물이라고 생각했다.Eoril jeok na-neun biga haneur-i naeryeo juneun gongjja mur-irago saenggakhaetda.When I was young, I thought rain was free water from the sky.
    밖에 비가 와요. ― Bakk-e biga wayo. ― Outside, rain is falling.

##### Derived terms

* 가랑비 (garangbi)
* 가을비 (ga'eulbi)
* 겨울비 (gyeoulbi)
* 눈비 (nunbi)
* 단비 (danbi)
* 봄비 (bombi)
* 비구름 (bigureum)
* 비바람 (bibaram)
* 소낙비 (sonakbi)
* 여름비 (yeoreumbi)
* 여우비 (yeoubi)
* 이슬비 (iseulbi)
* 작살비 (jaksalbi)
* 장맛비 (jangmatbi)
* 큰비 (keunbi)

##### See also

* 雨 (u), the hanja for "rain"

### Etymology 2

First attested in the Neung'eomgyeong eonhae (楞嚴經諺解 / 능엄경언해), 1461, as Middle Korean 뷔〮 (Yale: pwúy).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [pi]
* Phonetic hangul: [비]

#### Noun

비 • (bi)
* (dated) broom
    Synonym: (usual) 빗자루 (bitjaru)
    방을 비로 쓸다 ― bang-eul biro sseulda ― to sweep the room with a broom

##### Derived terms

* 마당비 (madangbi)
* 비질 (bijil)
* 빗자루 (bitjaru)
* 싸리비 (ssaribi)

### Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 碑, from the Middle Korean reading 비 (Yale: pì).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [pi]
* Phonetic hangul: [비]

#### Noun

비 • (bi) (hanja 碑)
* gravestone; tombstone
    Synonym: 묘비(墓碑) (myobi)
* stone engraved with memorial text

##### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 碑 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (碑, bi).

### Etymology 4

Borrowed from English bee.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [pi]
* Phonetic hangul: [비]

#### Noun

비 • (bi)
* The name of the Latin-script letter B/b.

##### Coordinate terms

* Latin script letter names: 에이 (ei) · 비 (bi) · 씨 (ssi) · 디 (di) · 이 (i) · 에프 (epeu) · 쥐 (jwi) · 에이치 (eichi) · 아이 (ai) · 제이 (jei) · 케이 (kei) · 엘 (el) · 엠 (em) · 엔 (en) · 오 (o) · 피 (pi) · 큐 (kyu) · 알 (al) · 에스 (eseu) · 티 (ti) · 유 (yu) · 브이 (beu'i) · 더블유 (deobeuryu) · 엑스 (ekseu) · 와이 (wai) · 제드 (jedeu)/지 (ji)

### Etymology 5

Sino-Korean word from 非.

#### Pronunciation

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

#### Prefix

비— • (bi-) (hanja 非)
* un-; in-; non-
    비공식 (非公式) ― unofficial
    비공개 (非公開) ― private (lit. not made public)

##### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 非 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (非, bi).

### Etymology 6

Sino-Korean word from 費.

#### Suffix

—비 • (-bi) (hanja 費)
* cost, fee; expense
    생활비 (生活費) ― living expenses
    교육비 (敎育費) ― cost of education

##### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 費 for Sino-Korean compounds of 비 (費, bi).

### Etymology 7

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

#### Syllable

비 • (bi)
* 比: comparison
    (eumhun reading: 견줄 비 (gyeonjul bi)) (MC reading: 比 (MC bjij|pjijX|bjijH|pjijH|bjit))
* 非: not;un-, in-, non-
    (eumhun reading: 아닐 비 (anil bi)) (MC reading: 非 (MC pj+j))
* 悲: sad
    (eumhun reading: 슬플 비 (seulpeul bi)) (MC reading: 悲 (MC pij))
* 飛: to fly
    (eumhun reading: 날 비 (nal bi)) (MC reading: 飛 (MC pj+j))
* 鼻: nose; nasal; rhino-
    (eumhun reading: 코 비 (ko bi)) (MC reading: 鼻 (MC bjijH))
* 備: equip, provision
    (eumhun reading: 갖출 비 (gatchul bi)) (MC reading: 備 (MC bijH))
* 批:
    (MC reading: 批 (MC phej))
* 卑: low; inferior
    (eumhun reading: 낮을 비 (najeul bi)) (MC reading: 卑 (MC pjie))
* 婢:
    (MC reading: 婢 (MC bjieX))
* 碑:
    (MC reading: 碑 (MC pje))
* 妃: wife, spouse; imperial concubine
    (eumhun reading: 왕비 비 (wangbi bi)) (MC reading: 妃 (MC phj+j|phwojH))
* 肥:
    (MC reading: 肥 (MC bj+j))
* 祕:
    (MC reading: 祕 (MC pijH))
* 費: spend; cost
    (eumhun reading: 쓸 비 (sseul bi)) (MC reading: 費 (MC pijH|phj+jH|bj+jH))
* 庇:
    (MC reading: 庇 (MC pjijH))
* 枇:
    (MC reading: 枇 (MC bjij|pjijX|bjijH))
* 琵:
    (MC reading: 琵 (MC bjij))
* 扉:
    (MC reading: 扉 (MC pj+j))
* 譬:
    (MC reading: 譬 (MC phjieH))
* 丕: large; grand
    (eumhun reading: 클 비 (keul bi)) (MC reading: 丕 (MC phij))
* 匕: spoon; dagger
    (eumhun reading: 비수 비 (bisu bi)) (MC reading: 匕 (MC pjijX))
* 匪:
    (MC reading: 匪 (MC pj+jX))
* 憊:
    (MC reading: 憊 (MC beajH))
* 斐:
    (MC reading: 斐 (MC phj+jX))
* 榧:
    (MC reading: 榧 (MC pj+jX))
* 毖:
    (MC reading: 毖 (MC pijH))
* 毗:
    (MC reading: 毗 (MC bjij))
* 沸:
    (MC reading: 沸 (MC pj+jH))
* 泌: seeping out, excretion
    (eumhun reading: 샘물 졸졸 흐를 비 (saemmul joljol heureul bi)) (MC reading: 泌 (MC pijH|bjit|pit))
* 痺:
    (MC reading: 痺 (MC pjie))
* 砒:
    (MC reading: 砒)
* 秕:
    (MC reading: 秕 (MC pjijX))
* 粃:
    (MC reading: 粃)
* 緋:
    (MC reading: 緋 (MC pj+j))
* 翡:
    (MC reading: 翡 (MC bj+jH))
* 脾: spleen
    (eumhun reading: 지라 비 (jira bi)) (MC reading: 脾 (MC bjie))
* 臂: arm
    (eumhun reading: 팔 비 (pal bi)) (MC reading: 臂 (MC pjieH))
* 菲:
    (MC reading: 菲 (MC phj+j|phj+jX|bj+jH))
* 蜚:
    (MC reading: 蜚 (MC pj+jX|bj+jH))
* 裨:
    (MC reading: 裨 (MC pjie|bjie))
* 誹:
    (MC reading: 誹 (MC pj+j|pj+jH))
* 鄙:
    (MC reading: 鄙 (MC pijX))
* 棐:
    (MC reading: 棐 (MC pj+jX))
* 庀:
    (MC reading: 庀 (MC phjieX))
* 奜:
    (MC reading: 奜 (MC phj+jX))
* 霏:
    (MC reading: 霏 (MC phj+j))
* 俾:
    (MC reading: 俾 (MC pjeX))
* 馡:
    (MC reading: 馡 (MC pj+j))
* 伾:
    (MC reading: 伾 (MC phij))
* 仳:
    (MC reading: 仳 (MC bjij|phjieX|bijX))
* 剕:
    (MC reading: 剕)
* 圮:
    (MC reading: 圮 (MC bijX))
* 埤:
    (MC reading: 埤 (MC bjie))
* 妣:
    (MC reading: 妣 (MC pjijX))
* 屁:
    (MC reading: 屁 (MC phjijH))
* 庳:
    (MC reading: 庳 (MC bjieX))
* 悱:
    (MC reading: 悱 (MC phj+jX))
* 椑:
    (MC reading: 椑 (MC pjie|bej|bjiek|bek))
* 沘:
    (MC reading: 沘 (MC bjij|pjijX))
* 淝:
    (MC reading: 淝 (MC bj+j))
* 淠:
    (MC reading: 淠 (MC phijH))
* 濞:
    (MC reading: 濞 (MC phijH|phejH))
* 狒:
    (MC reading: 狒 (MC bj+jH))
* 狉:
    (MC reading: 狉)
* 痞:
    (MC reading: 痞 (MC pijX|bijX|pjuwX))
* 痹:
    (MC reading: 痹 (MC pjijH))
* 睥:
    (MC reading: 睥 (MC phejH))
* 篦:
    (MC reading: 篦 (MC pej))
* 紕:
    (MC reading: 紕 (MC bjie|phjij|tsyhiX))
* 羆:
    (MC reading: 羆 (MC pje))
* 腓:
    (MC reading: 腓 (MC bj+j|bj+jH))
* 芘:
    (MC reading: 芘 (MC bjij|bjijH))
* 芾:
    (MC reading: 芾 (MC pj+jH|pajH|pjut))
* 萆:
    (MC reading: 萆 (MC siX|bjiek))
* 蓖:
    (MC reading: 蓖 (MC pej))
* 蚍:
    (MC reading: 蚍 (MC bjij))
* 貔:
    (MC reading: 貔 (MC bjij))
* 贔:
    (MC reading: 贔 (MC bijH))
* 轡:
    (MC reading: 轡 (MC pijH))
* 邳:
    (MC reading: 邳 (MC bij))
* 郫:
    (MC reading: 郫 (MC bje|bjie|bea))
* 閟:
    (MC reading: 閟 (MC pijH))
* 陴:
    (MC reading: 陴 (MC bjie))
* 鞴:
    (MC reading: 鞴 (MC bijH|buH|bjuwk))
* 騑:
    (MC reading: 騑 (MC phj+j|pj+j))
* 騛:
    (MC reading: 騛 (MC pj+j))
* 髀:
    (MC reading: 髀 (MC pjeX|pjijX|bejX))
* 鼙:
    (MC reading: 鼙 (MC bej))
* 秘: Alternative form of 祕
    (MC reading: 秘 (MC pijH))
* 毘: Alternative form of 毗
    (MC reading: 毘)

### References

* ↑ Alexander Vovin (2000) “Pre-Hankul Materials, Koreo-Japonic, and Altaic”, in Korean Studies, volume 24, pages 142—155
* ↑ “鷄林類事 高麗方言 연구에 제시된 구조 교정 一考察”, in 영주어문, volume 53, 2023, pages 89-125

## Middle Korean
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /pí/

### Noun

비〮 (pí) (locative 비〮예〮 (pí-yéy))
* rain

#### Descendants

* Korean: 비 (bi)