# 길

| 길 | U+AE38, &#44600; HANGUL SYLLABLE GIL |
| Composition: | ㄱ + ㅣ + ㄹ |
| ← 긷 [U+AE37] | Hangul Syllables | 긹 → [U+AE39] |
기긱긲긳긴긵긶 긷길긹긺긻긼긽 긾긿김깁깂깃깄 깅깆깇깈깉깊깋 :
| 긔 ← | → 까 |

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Early Modern Korean 긿 (kilh), from Middle Korean 긿〮 (kílh), probably ultimately from Old Korean 道尸 (*KIl). The Middle Korean /-h/ may be the remnant of an ancient place-related suffix; see Appendix:Middle Korean h-final nouns.
In the hangul script, first attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 긿〮 (Yale: kílh).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [kiɭ]
** Audio:(file)
* Phonetic hangul: [길]
* South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 길의 / 길에 / 길까지Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable, unless it is 에.

#### Noun

길 • (gil)
* (also figuratively) a road, a path, a street, a track; passage, thoroughfare
    아직도 갈 길이 멀고 험하다.Ajik-do gal gir-i meolgo heom-hada.There's still a long and treacherous road ahead.
    그는 독신의 길을 택하였다.Geu-neun doksin-ui gir-eul taek-hayeotda.He chose the path of celibacy.
** 1955 (posthumous), 윤동주／尹東柱<t:Yun Dong-ju>, “새로운 길 [A New Road]”, in 하늘과 바람과 별과 詩(시) [Sky, Wind, Stars, and Poetry]:내를 건너서 숲으로 / 고개를 넘어서 마을로 / 어제도 가고 오늘도 갈 / 나의길 새로운 길nae-reul geonneoseo sup-euro / gogae-reul neomeoseo ma'eul-lo / eoje-do gago oneul-do gal / na-uigil saeroun gilCrossing the stream and into the forest / Over the hill and into the village / The road I travelled yesterday and will travel today / The road will be forever new
* a way, (on) the way; a route/course (e.g. an airway or sea route)
    그는 길을 잃고 숲속을 헤맸다.Geu-neun gir-eul ilko supsog-eul hemaetda.He got lost and wandered about the woods.(literally, “He lost his way and wandered about the woods.”)
    돌아오는 길에 잠깐 들렀어. (casual)Doraoneun gir-e jamkkan deulleosseo.[I] stopped by on the way back.
** 1964, 김승옥／金承鈺 [Kim Seung-ok], 무진기행／霧津記行 [A Trip to Mujin]:서울을 떠나는 마지막 기차를 놓친 나는 서울에서 무진까지의 천여리 길을 발가락이 몇 번이고 부르터지도록 걸어서 내려왔고 […]Seour-eul tteonaneun majimak gicha-reul notchin na-neun Seour-eseo Mujin-kkaji-ui cheonyeori gir-eul balgarag-i myeot beonigo bureuteoji-dorok georeoseo naeryeowatgo [ … ]Having missed the last train leaving Seoul, I had to walk the entire way from Seoul to Mujin—a distance of around a thousand li—with my toes blistering time after time.
* (figuratively) the road (to)..., the path (to)...
    민주화의 길은 험하디 험했다.Minjuhwa-ui gir-eun heom-ha-di heom-haetda.The road to democracy was not easy.
    그는 변호사의 길을 걷고 있다.Geu-neun byeonhosa-ui gir-eul geotgo itda.He is on the path to become a lawyer.
* (figuratively) a way, a means, a method
    Synonym: 방도(方道) (bangdo)
    그것이 성공의 유일한 길이다.Geugeos-i seonggong-ui yuil-han girida.That's the only way to success.
    너의 마음을 알 길이 없구나.Neo-ui ma'eum-eul al gir-i eopguna.I have no way of reading your mind.

##### Alternative forms

* 질 (jil) — dialectal

##### Derived terms

* 가르맛길 (gareumatgil)
* 가시밭길 (gasibatgil)
* 갈림길 (gallimgil)
* 갓길 (gatgil)
* 강변길 (江邊—, gangbyeon'gil)
* 곁길 (gyeotgil)
* 고갯길 (gogaetgil)
* 고부랑길 (goburanggil)
* 고빗길 (gobitgil)
* 고생길 (苦生—, gosaenggil)
* 골목길 (golmokgil)
* 구름길 (gureumgil)
* 구부렁길 (gubureonggil)
* 굽잇길 (gubitgil)
* 굿길 (gutgil)
* 귀갓길 (歸家—, gwigatgil)
* 귀향길 (歸鄕—, gwihyanggil)
* 그길로 (geugillo)
* 극락길 (極樂—, geungnakgil)
* 기찻길 (汽車—, gichatgil)
* 길가 (gilga)
* 길갈래 (gilgallae)
* 길강아지 (gilgang'aji)
* 길거리 (gilgeori)
* 길나들이 (gilladeuri)
* 길냥이 (gillyang'i)
* 길녘 (gillyeok)
* 길눈 (gillun)
* 길도랑 (gildorang)
* 길독 (—毒, gildok)
* 길동무 (gildongmu)
* 길라잡이 (gillajabi)
* 길마루 (gilmaru)
* 길마을 (gilma'eul)
* 길막이 (gilmagi)
* 길머리 (gilmeori)
* 길모퉁이 (gilmotung'i)
* 길목 (gilmok)
* 길바닥 (gilbadak)
* 길벌레 (gilbeolle)
* 길벗 (gilbeot)
* 길사람 (gilsaram)
* 길섶 (gilseop)
* 길손 (gilson)
* 길송장 (gilsongjang)
* 길싸움 (gilssaum)
* 길앞잡이 (girapjabi)
* 길옆 (giryeop)
* 길짐승 (giljimseung)
* 길치 (—癡, gilchi)
* 길켠 (gilkyeon)
* 길턱 (gilteok)
* 길품 (gilpum)
* 길허리 (gilheori)
* 꼬부랑길 (kkoburanggil)
* 꽃길 (kkotgil)
* 꾸부렁길 (kkubureonggil)
* 꿈길 (kkumgil)
* 나그넷길 (nageunetgil)
* 나룻길 (narutgil)
* 나뭇길 (namutgil)
* 내리막길 (naerimakgil)
* 널길 (neolgil)
* 논길 (non'gil)
* 농삿길 (農事—, nongsatgil)
* 눈길 (nun'gil)
* 눈물길 (nunmulgil)
* 답삿길 (踏査—, dapsatgil)
* 덤불길 (deombulgil)
* 도붓길 (到付—, dobutgil)
* 돈길 (don'gil)
* 돌길 (dolgil)
* 돌림길 (dollimgil)
* 두렁길 (dureonggil)
* 두멧길 (dumetgil)
* 둑길 (dukgil)
* 뒤안길 (dwian'gil)
* 뒷길 (dwitgil)
* 들길 (deulgil)
* 등굣길 (登校—, deunggyotgil)
* 등반길 (登攀—, deungban'gil)
* 등산길 (登山—, deungsan'gil)
* 등판길 (deungpan'gil)
* 뗏길 (ttetgil)
* 마당길 (madanggil)
* 마찻길 (馬車—, machatgil)
* 막장길 (makjanggil)
* 망종길 (亡終—, mangjonggil)
* 먼짓길 (meonjitgil)
* 모랫길 (moraetgil)
* 무덤길 (mudeomgil)
* 문길 (門—, mun'gil)
* 물길 (mulgil)
* 뭍길 (mutgil)
* 바깥길 (bakkatgil)
* 바닷길 (badatgil)
* 바람길 (baramgil)
* 바른길 (bareun'gil)
* 바윗길 (bawitgil)
* 밤길 (bamgil)
* 밥길 (bapgil)
* 방랑길 (放浪—, bangnanggil)
* 방문길 (訪問—, bangmun'gil)
* 밭길 (batgil)
* 밭머릿길 (banmeoritgil)
* 밭틀길 (bat'teulgil)
* 배움길 (bae'umgil)
* 뱃길 (baetgil)
* 벌잇길 (beoritgil)
* 벌판길 (beolpan'gil)
* 벼랑길 (byeoranggil)
* 벼룻길 (byeorutgil)
* 벼슬길 (byeoseulgil)
* 복판길 (bokpan'gil)
* 불길 (bulgil)
* 비단길 (緋緞—, bidan'gil)
* 비탈길 (bitalgil)
* 비행길 (飛行—, bihaenggil)
* 빗길 (bitgil)
* 빙판길 (氷板—, bingpan'gil)
* 사랫길 (saraetgil)
* 사릿길 (saritgil)
* 사잇길 (saitgil)
* 산골길 (山—, san'golgil)
* 산길 (山—, san'gil)
* 살길 (salgil)
* 샛길 (saetgil)
* 서덜길 (seodeolgil)
* 세상길 (世上—, sesanggil)
* 수렛길 (suretgil)
* 수림길 (樹林—, surimgil)
* 숨길 (sumgil)
* 숫눈길 (sunnun'gil)
* 숲길 (supgil)
* 시골길 (sigolgil)
* 신행길 (新行—, sinhaenggil)
* 싸움길 (ssaumgil)
* 썰맷길 (sseolmaetgil)
* 아랫길 (araetgil)
* 안갯길 (an'gaetgil)
* 안길 (an'gil)
* 앞길 (apgil)
* 언덕길 (eondeokgil)
* 얼음길 (eoreumgil)
* 엇길 (eotgil)
* 에움길 (e'umgil)
* 여행길 (旅行—, yeohaenggil)
* 옆길 (yeopgil)
* 옛길 (yetgil)
* 오르막길 (oreumakgil)
* 오솔길 (osolgil)
* 오줌길 (ojumgil)
* 외길 (oegil)
* 외딴길 (oettan'gil)
* 우물길 (umulgil)
* 운길 (運—, un'gil)
* 윗길 (witgil)
* 이슬길 (iseulgil)
* 인생길 (人生—, insaenggil)
* 자갈길 (jagalgil)
* 장삿길 (jangsatgil)
* 저승길 (jeoseunggil)
* 전찻길 (電車—, jeonchatgil)
* 죽음길 (jugeumgil)
* 지름길 (jireumgil)
* 진창길 (jinchanggil)
* 찻길 (車—, chatgil)
* 철길 (鐵—, cheolgil)
* 첫길 (cheotgil)
* 초행길 (初行—, chohaenggil)
* 촌길 (村—, chon'gil)
* 출근길 (出勤—, chulgeun'gil)
* 출셋길 (出世—, chulsetgil)
* 출입길 (出入—, churipgil)
* 출장길 (出張—, chuljanggil)
* 출퇴근길 (出退勤—, chultoegeun'gil)
* 큰길 (keun'gil)
* 토막길 (tomakgil)
* 포장길 (鋪裝—, pojanggil)
* 푸섶길 (puseopgil)
* 피난길 (避難—, pinan'gil)
* 피란길 (避亂—, piran'gil)
* 하굣길 (下校—, hagyotgil)
* 하늘길 (haneulgil)
* 하룻길 (harutgil)
* 한길 (han'gil)
* 헛길 (heotgil)
* 혼삿길 (婚事—, honsatgil)
* 혼인길 (婚姻—, honin'gil)
* 황천길 (黃泉—, hwangcheon'gil)
* 황톳길 (黃土—, hwangtotgil)
* 흐름길 (heureumgil)
* 흙탕길 (—湯—, heuktanggil)

##### See also

* 道 (do), 路 (ro), hanjas for "road; path"

### Etymology 2

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 질〮 (Yale: cíl).
Was subject to hypercorrection by Seoul speakers to avoid the /ki/ > /t͡ɕi/ palatalization in southern dialects, producing Early Modern Korean 길 (kil); 김치 (gimchi) and 기와 (giwa) are two other well-known examples of this phenomenon. Non-standard dialects commonly preserve the original form.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [kiɭ]
** Audio:(file)
* Phonetic hangul: [길]

#### Noun

길 • (gil)
* (of animals) training; domestication
    그 개는 길이 잘 들어서 말을 잘 듣는다.Geu gae-neun gir-i jal deureoseo mar-eul jal deunneunda.The dog is obedient because it was well-trained.(literally, “The dog is obedient because training has well entered it.”)
* (of tools, etc.) breaking in; wear
    갓 산 새 신발이라 아직 길이 안 들었다.Gat san sae sinbar-ira ajik gir-i an deureotda.Having just bought these shoes, they haven't been broken in yet.(literally, “Having just bought these shoes, breaking in hasn't entered them yet.”)
* (less common) familiarity; skill

##### Usage notes

* Used chiefly with the verbs 들다 (deulda, “to enter”, intransitive) and 들이다 (deurida, “to let in”, transitive), and sometimes with the verb 나다 (nada, “to arise”, intransitive).

##### Alternative forms

* 질 (jil) — dialectal

##### Derived terms

* 길나다 (gillada)
* 길들다 (gildeulda)
* 길들이다 (gildeurida)
* 길속 (gilsok)

### Etymology 3

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 길〯 (Yale: kǐl), related to 길〯다〮 (Yale: kǐl-tá, “to be long”).

#### Pronunciation

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

#### Noun

길 • (gil)
* a gil, a traditional Korean unit of measurement
** the gil, a traditional Korean unit of length equal to 8 or 10 Korean foot (자 (ja)), equivalent to approximately 2.4 m and 3 m respectively
*** 1908, 구연학／具然學 [Gu Yeonhak], chapter 9, in 雪(설)中(즁)梅(ᄆᆡ) [Plum Blossoms in the Snow]:층암과 절벽이 상ᄃᆡᄒᆞ야 병풍을 셰운 듯ᄒᆞᆫᄃᆡ 놉기ᄂᆞᆫ 몃백 길인지 아지 못ᄒᆞ며 […]cheung'am-gwa jeolbyeog-i sangdae-haya byeongpung-eul syeun deut-handae nopgineun myeotbaek gir-in-ji aji mot-hamyeo [ … ]The confronting rocky cliffs and precipices stand tall like a folding screen—one could only guess that they must be a few hundred gils tall […]
** the gil, a traditional Korean unit of length equal to the height of a person; a fathom

##### Derived terms

* 길눈 (gillun)
* 길물 (gilmul)
* 천길만길 (千—萬—, cheon'gilman'gil)

### Etymology 4

Of native Korean origin.

#### Pronunciation

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

#### Noun

길 • (gil)
* (clothing) the gil, the large body section of the upper garment in traditional clothing such as the 저고리 (jeogori) or 두루마기 (durumagi)

### Etymology 5

Sino-Korean word from 吉.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [kiɭ]
** Audio:(file)
* Phonetic hangul: [길]

#### Proper noun

길 • (Gil) (hanja 吉)
* a surname

#### Root

길 • (gil) (hanja 吉)
* Root of 길(吉)하다 (gilhada, “to be auspicious”). Rarely used alone.

#### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 吉 for Sino-Korean compounds of 길 (吉, gil).

### Etymology 6

See the main entries.

#### Adjective

길 • (gil)
* irrealis adnominal of 길다 (gilda, “to be long”)

#### Verb

길 • (gil)
* future determiner of 길다 (gilda, “(of hair) to grow long”)

#### Verb

길 • (gil)
* future determiner of 기다 (gida, “to crawl”)

### Etymology 7

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

#### Syllable

길 • (gil)
* 吉: luck
    (eumhun reading: [길할]] 길 ([gilhal]] gil)) (MC reading: 吉 (MC kjit))
* 佶:
    (MC reading: 佶 (MC git))
* 桔:
    (MC reading: 桔 (MC ket))
* 姞:
    (MC reading: 姞 (MC git))
* 拮:
    (MC reading: 拮 (MC kjit|ket))
* 蛣:
    (MC reading: 蛣 (MC khjit))

### References

* ↑ Samuel E. Martin (1992) A Reference Grammar of Korean: A Complete Guide to the Grammar and History of the Korean Language, first edition, Charles E. Tuttle Publishing Co., Inc., →ISBN, page 87

## Middle Korean
### Etymology 1
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kǐl/

#### Counter

길〯 (kǐl)
* a gil, a traditional Korean unit of length equal to the height of a person; a fathom
** 1447, Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가) :굴허〮ᅌᅦ〮 ᄆᆞᄅᆞᆯ〮 디〯내〯샤〮 도ᄌᆞ기〮 다〯 도라〮가니〮 半 길〯 노ᄑᆡᆫ〮ᄃᆞᆯ〮 년기〮 디〯나리〮ᅌᅵᆺ가〮[Chased] into an alley, [emperor Taizu] had his horse leap over [a cliff a gil high], and all the bandits [had no choice but to] turn back. Even if it were half a gil high, could anyone else [i.e. the bandits] have done the same?

##### Descendants

* Korean: 길 (gil)

### Etymology 2
#### Noun

길〮 (kíl)
* Isolated form spelling of 긿〮 (kílh, “road”)