스승

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 스스ᇰ (susung). Seo Jeongbeom considers the “teacher” and “shaman” senses related, and derives it from root 슷 (sus) + suffix —응 (-ung). The ultimate root is postulated to be *sam, meaning “word”. From the same source are the second syllable of 말씀 (malsseum, “word”), the now-dialectal word 심방 (simbang, “sorceress”), and Manchu ᠰᠠᠮᠠᠨ (saman, “shaman”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key)[sʰɯsʰɯŋ]
Phonetic Hangul[스승]

Revised Romanization^?	seuseung
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	seuseung
McCune–Reischauer^?	sŭsŭng
Yale Romanization^?	susung

Noun

스승 • (seuseung)

teacher, master, mentor, instructor
(Pyeongbuk, Hamgyŏng dialect) sorceress, exorcist, shaman

Synonyms

(teacher): 선생 (先生, seonsaeng)