버리다
beorida[pʌ̹ɾida̠]
The English phrase 'abandon' is expressed in Korean as 버리다 (beorida). Wiktionary also lists 방치(放置)하다 (bangchihada) and 기치(棄置)하다 (gichihada).
Meaning: to leave behind or desert, to forsake (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 버리다 | beorida | [pʌ̹ɾida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 방치(放置)하다 | bangchihada | |
| 기치(棄置)하다 | gichihada | |
| 떠나다 | tteonada | [t͈ʌ̹na̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The word 버리다 is a versatile term used for both abandoning people or responsibilities and for the physical act of throwing away trash.
Which one should you use?
While 버리다 is the most common way to say 'to abandon' or 'to throw away' in everyday speech, other forms exist for specific contexts. 떠나다 focuses on the act of departing or leaving a person or place rather than the act of deserting or discarding something. 방치하다 is used specifically when 'abandoning' refers to leaving a situation, object or person in a state of neglect or without care.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 버리다 is 버렸다, meaning 'abandoned' or 'threw away'.
How do you pronounce it?
beorida
Did you know?
- The word 버리다 was written as ᄇᆞ리〮다〮 in the 15th-century text Seokbo sangjeol, featuring a vowel that no longer exists in modern Korean.
- In a romantic context, saying someone was 'abandoned' using the root of 버리다 implies they were treated like literal refuse. This makes the expression feel much more visceral and dehumanizing than the English word 'abandon'.
- The word 버리다 is often used as an auxiliary verb to express that a state has changed irreversibly or that a speaker has given up on something, similar to saying 'completely' or 'finally' in English.
Examples in context
- 그는 프로젝트를 버렸다.He abandoned the project.
- 그 여자는 아기를 버렸다.The woman abandoned the baby.
- 내가 너를 버릴 거라고 생각하지 마.Don't think that I will abandon you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “abandon” translations and entries 버리다, 떠나다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 떠나다, 버리다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
