족제비

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Dong'ui bogam (東醫寶鑑 / 동의보감), 1613, as Early Modern Korean 죡져비 (Yale: cyokcyepi).

Ultimately from *죡져 (*jokjeo, “weasel”) + 피(皮) (pi, “leather, skin”). The first component, *족져, was likely borrowed from a Tungusic language through trade. Compare Udihe čokči (“weasel”), Oroch čokčui (“polecat”), and Manchu ᡧᠣᠰᡳᡴᡳ (šosiki, “chipmunk”).^[1] The semantic broadening of "animal's skin" > "name of animal" can be also seen in 청설모 (cheongseolmo, “squirrel”).

Cognate with Jeju 족제비 (jokjebi), 족 (jok).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕo̞k̚t͡ɕ͈e̞bi]
Phonetic hangul: [족쩨비]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	jokjebi
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	jogjebi
McCune–Reischauer^?	chokchebi
Yale Romanization^?	cokceypi

Noun

족제비 • (jokjebi)

weasel, specifically a Siberian weasel, Mustela sibirica.
Synonyms: 서랑 (seorang), 유서 (yuseo), 황서 (hwangseo), 황서랑 (hwangseorang)

Derived terms

무산쇠족제비 (musansoejokjebi, “least weasel”)
쇠족제비 (soejokjebi, “least weasel”)
얼룩족제비 (eollukjokjebi, “marbled polecat”)
족제비오소리 (jokjebiosori, “ferret-badger”)

References

^ 양재영 [yangjaeyeong] (2023) “모피 동물 ‘족제비’와 ‘삵’의 어원과 어휘사 [mopi dongmul ‘jokjebi’wa ‘sak’ui eowon'gwa eohwisa]”, in 국어사연구, volume 37, 국어사학회 [gugeosahakhoe], page 241~272

[1] 양재영 [yangjaeyeong] (2023) “모피 동물 ‘족제비’와 ‘삵’의 어원과 어휘사 [mopi dongmul ‘jokjebi’wa ‘sak’ui eowon'gwa eohwisa]”, in 국어사연구, volume 37, 국어사학회 [gugeosahakhoe], page 241~272

[1]