Welcome to another 漢字 배우자! post~! Today we’ll be looking at “야.”
If you watch Korean dramas, I’m sure you’ve heard “야!” being yelled at someone plenty of times. It’s sort of like yelling “Hey!” at someone to get their attention or let them know they need to back off. However, the 야—or, rather, the 야s—that we will be looking at today are a bit different.
I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of words using “야” in them over the course of your Korean studies, including (but certainly not limited to) words like 야근, 야구, 야채, 야시장, 야외, 야생… The list goes on! But did you know these words are derived from 한자? In the short list of vocab above, we have two different 야s. Let’s check them out to see how they contribute to the meaning of the words we find them in.
들 야 野
Our first 야 is 들 (field) 야 野. Words that contain this character are related to nature and the outdoors. for example:
야채 野菜
들 야 野, 나물 ([edible] plant/vegetable) 채 菜
If we combine these two characters, we get a word that literally means “field plant” or “field vegetable.” Simply, we can just call these vegetables!
야외 野外
들 野; 바깥 (outside) 외 外
Made of a combination of “field” and “outside,” 야외 野外 simply refers to the outdoors or outside. For example, you can enjoy a show at a 야외 극장, or an outdoor/open-air theater.
야생 野生
들 野, 날 (to appear) 생 生
야생 野生 refers to something that has appeared from the field. In English, we could simply say that this word refers to things that are wild or in the wild. An example is 야생 식물, or “wild plants/vegetation.”
야구 野球
들 野, 공 (ball) 구 球
This combo of “field” + “ball” gives us a very literal description of “baseball!”
평야 平野
평평할 (flat, even) 평 平, 들 野
This one is also very literal. This word refers to a flat field, or a plain.
분야 分野
나눌 (to divide) 분 分, 들 野
분야 分野 refers to a division of an area. In English we could translate 분야 to “field,” as in someone’s 연구 분야 (research field).
밤 야 夜
Our second 야 is 밤 (night) 야 夜. It’s pretty self-explanatory! Words containing this character will have something to do with nighttime.
야근 夜勤
밤 夜, 부지런할 (diligent, hard-working) 근 勤
What is being diligent or hard-working at night called…? Overtime! 야근 夜勤 is super-common in Korean companies. If you don’t stay late on the regular, your boss might not think you’re sufficiently committed!
야시장 夜市場
밤 夜, 저자 (old term for “market”) 시 市, 마당 (garden, yard) 장 場
야시장 夜市場 is a pretty literal word meaning “night market.”
야간 夜間
밤 夜, 사이 (space) 간 間
야간 夜間 refers to the space of the night or, far more naturally, “night time.” For example, you could say something occurred at night (야간에), or you can ask your male Korean friends who have gone to the army how they feel about 야간 근무 (night duty). On second thought, they might be trying to forget…
야경 夜景
밤 夜, 경치 (scenery) 경 景
A combination of “night” + “scenery”, 야경 夜景 refers to the night views. A lot of tourists in Seoul like to go to Namsan Tower to check out the 야경 from up high! If you decide to go, make sure you go on a day when the air is clear or you might be disappointed.
야식 夜食
밤 夜, 밥 (rice, meal) 식 食
A meal at night… This is the Korean word for “midnight snack”!
야행성 夜行性
밤 夜, 다닐 (to go, frequent) 행 行, 성품 (characteristic) 성 性
Something that has the characteristic of going around at night is nocturnal. How many 야행성 夜行性 animals can you think of?
야심(하다) = late at night 야식 = midnight snack 심야영화 = late-night movie 열대야 = tropical night 야간 = night time
야간근무 = night shift 야근 = night work, overtime 야경 = night view
Field, wilderness
야비(하다) = to be coarse,mean 분야 = area, sphere, field
야만 = barbarism, savagery
~에야, ~에서야, ~서야 = Only when, only at
이미 정오가 가까운 시각에야 = Only when it started to approach midday… 그때에야 바우를 찾는 줄을 알았다 = Only then did they realize that they were looking for Pau. 나는 그날 아침에야 출근하면서 넌지시 운을 떼었다. = That morning, finally, as I was leaving for work, I piped up. 이제서야 당신이 작가로서 인정을 받나 보군요 = It looks like you’re finally being recognized as a writer
그 결과는 몇 주 후에야 알게 될 것이다 = The result will only be known several weeks hence.
우리가 거의 한 시간이나 기다린 후에야 음식이 나왔다 = Our food only came after we’d waited for almost an hour.
~어야만 = Only if (~어야 reinforced by ~만)
우체국에 와야만 걸 수 있는 전화니까 = It’s a phone call you can only make if you came to the post office… 사람은 늙어야만 죽는 줄 알았는데 = I thought people only died if they are old. 학생은 교사의 허락이 있어야만 교실을 떠날 수 있다. =
Only if a teacher has given permission is a student allowed to leave the room.
~어야만 한다 = Absolutely have to/must (emphasised form of ~어야 한다)
그렇게 매일 같이 마셔야만 해요? = Do you really have to drink like this every day? 난 좋든 싫든 그것을 해야만 한다 = I must do it whether I like or dislike it. 그게 내가 해야만 하는거 아닌가? =
벌써 겨울이야 – It’s already winter 우리 개는 푸들이야 – My dog is a poodle 브래드 피트는 내가 가장 좋아하는 배우야 – Brad Pitt is my favourite actor 오늘이 내 생일이야 – Today is my birthday. 그 사람은 변태가 아니야 – He is not a pervert. 그건 물이 아니야 – That is not water.
A/V: ~(으)ㄹ 거야 – 이다
나는 다음 주에 이사할 거야 – I’m going to move next week. 나는 이따가 운동을 할 거야 – I’m going to go exercise later. 크리스는 7시쯤 도착할 거야 – Chris is arriving about 7. 나 남자친구랑 헤어질 거야 – I’m going to break up with my boyfriend. 정말 보고싶을 거야 – I’m really gonna miss you. 나 이제 담배 끊을 거야 – I’ll quit smoking 내일은 차가 생길 거야 – Tomorrow I’ll have a car. 그분이 내년에 선생님이 될 거야 – Next year, he will become a teacher. 얘가 네 동생이야? – Is this kid your younger sister/brother? 전화 할 거야? – Will you call?
A./V. ~니? – interrogative
밥을 먹었니? – Did you eat? 한국에서 전화하니? – Are you calling from Korea? 지금 시간 좀 있니? – Do you have time right now? 편지 썼니? – Did you write the letter? 그게 숙제였니? – Was it the homework? 전화 할 거니? – Will you call?
V ~아/어라 – command, imperative only to younger people
뭐 예요? – What is it, what is that? 물 이에요 – It’s water 책 이에요 – It’s a book 이거 책이에요 – This is a book 이거 커피예요? – Is this coffee? 그거 우유예요? – Is that milk? 이거 우유 안니에요 – This (thing) is not milk. 저 학생 안니에요 – I am not a student.
반말: ~(이)야 (formal: 세요, 이세요)
벌써 겨울이야 – It’s already winter 우리 개는 푸들이야 – My dog is a poodle 브래드 피트는 내가 가장 좋아하는 배우야 – Brad Pitt is my favourite actor 오늘이 내 생일이야 – Today is my birthday. 그 사람은 변태가 아니야 – He is not a pervert. 그건 물이 아니야 – That is not water.
past: 이었어요, 였어요, 아니었어요
나는 바쁜 선생님이었어 = I was a busy teacher 나는 학생이었어 = I was a student 나는 선생님이었어 = I was a teacher 나는 나쁜 애기였어 = I was a bad baby 나는 나쁜 의사였어 = I was a bad doctor
future: 일 거에요, ~이/가 될 거에요
저는 곧 선생님일 거에요 = I will be a teacher soon 저는 곧 선생님이 될 것입니다 = I will become a teacher soon 나는 미래에 의사일 거야 = I will be a doctor in the future 나는 미래에 의사가 될 거야 = I will become a doctor in the future 한국이 곧 좋은 나라일 것이다 = Korea will be a good country soon 한국이 곧 좋은 나라가 될 것이다 = Korea will become a good country soon 이 장소는 곧 공원일 것이다 = This place will be a park soon 이 장소는 곧 공원이 될 것이다 = This place will become a park soon
Sutdy-Korean 
