분수

Korean

Etymology 1

분수 (噴水, bunsu, “fountain”).

Sino-Korean word from 噴水, from 噴 (噴, “spew”) + 水 (水, “water”).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈpu(ː)nsʰu]
Phonetic hangul: [분(ː)수]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punsu
Yale Romanization^?	pūnswu

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 噴水)

fountain
근처 공원에 분수가 하나 있어서 한번 놀러 가 봤다.
geuncheo gong'won-e bunsu-ga hana isseoseo hanbeon nolleo ga bwatda.
[I] went to the nearby park because there was a fountain.
- 1917, Yi Kwang-su, 이광수(李光洙), “어린 벗에게 (eorin beosege) [To a Young Lover]”, in 靑(청)春(춘), number 9-11:
  全(전)혀 모르고 우둑하니 噴(분)水(수)만 보고 섯섯나이다.
  Jeonhyeo moreugo udukhani bunsuman bogo seotseonnaida.
  Not knowing [what to do], I blankly stared at the fountain.

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 分數, from 分 (分, “fraction”) + 數 (數, “number”), with compound/genitive tensing applied.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [puns͈u]
Phonetic hangul: [분쑤]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punssu
Yale Romanization^?	punqswu

Many speakers do not apply genitive tensing, and the non-tense pronunciation is also accepted as standard.

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 分數)

(mathematics) fraction
분수는 최대한 약분을 해야 된다.
bunsu-neun choedaehan yakbun-eul hae-ya doenda.
A Fraction must be reduced to its simplest form.

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 分數, from 分 (分, “portion; status”) + 數 (數, “amount”).

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈpu(ː)nsʰu]
Phonetic hangul: [분(ː)수]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	bunsu
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	bunsu
McCune–Reischauer^?	punsu
Yale Romanization^?	pūnswu

Noun

분수 • (bunsu) (hanja 分數)

one's place, means, or station
Synonym: 분(分) (bun)
사람은 무릇 자신의 분수를 잘 알아야 한다.
saram-eun mureut jasin-ui bunsu-reul jal araya handa.
A person must well know their place.
- 1908, An Gukseon, 안국선(安國善), “井(졍)蛙(와)語(어)海(ᄒᆡ) (개고리) [The Frog]”, in 禽(금)獸(슈)會(회)議(의)錄(록) (Geumsyuhoe'uirok) [Minutes from the Animal Assembly]:
  우리 개고리의 족속은 […] 분슈를 직히ᄂᆞ니 그러면 우리ᄂᆞᆫ 사람보다 샹등이 아니오닛가 (손벽소ᄅᆡᄶᅡᆯ각々々)
  uri gaegori-ui joksog-eun […] bunsyu-reul jikhineuni geureomyeon uri-neun saramboda syangdeung-i anionitga (sonbyeoksorijjalgakjjalgak)
  We frogs know and keep to our place […] . So, couldn't it be said that we are better than humans? (claps with small hands)
- 1935, Gim Yujeong, 김유정(金裕貞), “나와 귀뚜람이 (Nawa gwitturami) [Me and a Cricket]”, in 朝(조)光(광):
  그러나 分(분)數(수)에 넘는 虛(허)榮(영)이려니 […]
  Geureona bunsu-e neomneun heoyeong-iryeoni […]
  However, such is simply my vain [imagination], not knowing its place.
- 2017, ““자기가 좋아하는 곳에 살면 예술이 나온다””, in 중앙(JoongAng)SUNDAY‎:
  그는 자기 분수(分數)껏 사는 게 중요하다고 했다.
  geu-neun jagi bunsuKkeot saneun ge jung'yohadago haetda.
  He said it is important to live within one's means.
(an acceptable) limit (with the verb 있다 (itda, “to be”))
장난과 농담도 분수가 있다. ― jangnan-gwa nongdam-do bunsu-ga itda. ― Even a joke has its limits.