여우

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [jʌ̹u]
• Phonetic hangul: [여우]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	yeou
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	yeou
McCune–Reischauer?	yŏu
Yale Romanization?	yewu

Etymology 1

From Middle Korean 여ᅀᆞ (yèzò). First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446, as a connective form 여ᇫㅇ (Yale: yèzG-).

Presumed classical word stem *jɔzɦ or *jɔzɣ is still evidenced in some dialects (compare dialectal forms 여수 (yeosu), 여시 (yeosi), 여끼 (yeokki), 영 (yeong), 영끼 (yeongkki), etc.).

Noun

여우 • (yeou) (counter 마리)

1. fox, vixen
2. (by extension) a cunning and deceptive person
3. (by extension, endearing) a sly young girl

Derived terms

• 게잡이여우 (gejabiyeou, “crab-eating fox”)
• 여우비 (yeoubi, “sunshower”)
• 여우원숭이 (yeouwonsung'i, “lemur”)

 

See also

• 狐 (ho), the hanja for "fox"

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 女優.

Noun

South Korean Standard Language	여우(女優) (yeou)
North Korean Standard Language	녀우(女優) (nyeou)

여우 • (yeou) (hanja 女優)

1. actress (female actor)

   Synonym: 여배우(女俳優) (yeobae'u)