복병

Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 伏兵, from 伏 (“ambush”) + 兵 (“soldier”).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [po̞k̚p͈jʌ̹ŋ]
Phonetic hangeul: [복뼝]

Revised Romanization^?	bokbyeong
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bogbyeong
McCune–Reischauer^?	pokpyŏng
Yale Romanization^?	pokqpyeng

Noun

복병 • (bokbyeong) (hanja 伏兵)

a hidden army lying in ambush
저 산 뒤에 복병을 두도록 해라.
Jeo san dwie bokbyeong-eul dudorok haera.
Have a hidden army sent behind that mountain.
an unwelcome surprise
시험 때마다 수학이 항상 복병이야.
Siheom ttaemada suhagi hangsang bokbyeong-iya.
In every exam, math is always the unwelcome surprise.
- 2020 February 1, “그때 그 시절 디즈니 덕후들에게 [To the Disney otakus of that time and age]”, in 월간샘터, pages 87:
  어렵게 복원을 마치자 또 다른 복병이 나타났다. 월트디즈니사와의 저작권 문제가 불거진 것이었다.
  Eoryeopge bogwoneul machija tto dareun bokbyeong-i natanatda. Wolteudijeunisawaui jeojakgwon munjega bulgeojin geosieotda.
  Once the reconstruction had been finished with difficulty, there was another unwelcome surprise. A copyright dispute had erupted with the Walt Disney Company.
- 2020 November 8, “국정심판론속 코로나 복병에 무너진 트럼프…정반대로 간 바이든”, in 소방뉴스‎, Republic of Korea National Fire Agency:
  탄탄한 경제지표에 힘입어 재선 가능성이 상당하다는 평가를 받았다. 그러나 코로나19가 복병이었다.
  Tantanhan gyeongjejipyo-e himibeo jaeseon ganeungseong-i sangdanghadaneun pyeonggareul badatda. Geureona korona19ga bokbyeong-ieotda.
  Bolstered by solid economic indicators, [Donald Trump's] chances at reelection were judged as considerable. But COVID-19 was the unwelcome surprise.

Related terms

매복 (埋伏, maebok, “ambush”)

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 腹柄.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [po̞k̚p͈jʌ̹ŋ]
Phonetic hangeul: [복뼝]

Revised Romanization^?	bokbyeong
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bogbyeong
McCune–Reischauer^?	pokpyŏng
Yale Romanization^?	pokqpyeng

Noun

복병 • (bokbyeong) (hanja 腹柄)

(entomology) Synonym of 배자루마디 (baejarumadi, “petiole of a bee or ant”)