등
deung[tɯŋ]
The English phrase etc is expressed in Korean as 등 (deung).
등 is used at the end of a list to indicate that there are other similar items that were not mentioned, meaning "and so on" or "etc.". It is placed immediately after the final item in the list, following the same placement pattern as in English.
Which one should you use?
While 등 is the standard form, you may also see the synonym 기타 or the phrase 그 외 used to mean etc. Additionally, doubling the word to 등등 is a common way to emphasize the "and so on" meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
등 functions as a bound noun that must follow a list of items. In spoken or informal contexts, the doubled form 등등 is often used for emphasis.
How do you pronounce it?
deung
Did you know?
- While 등 is used for lists, the sound 등 is a homonym for 'back' as in the human body. Depending on the context, the same sound can refer to a list of items or a person's spine.
- Although 등 now means 'etc', the same sound is also a Sino-Korean word for 'lantern' or 'lamp'. This creates a linguistic coincidence where the word for a light source and the word for a list are identical.
- The word 등 can be used to refer to a group of people as a collective, such as saying 'the group of Mr. Kim' using 김 씨 등. This goes beyond a simple list of objects to define a leadership or representative group.
Examples in context
- 2, 4, 6 등은 짝수이다.2, 4, 6 etc. are even numbers.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to use 등 with numbers to represent even numbers.Tatoeba #3752916 by rainbow4us, translation #3953834 by KoreanBeaver
- 과일에는 사과, 배, 감 등이 있다.Fruits include apples, pears, persimmons, etc.This sentence shows how to use 등 when listing types of fruit.
- 영어는 미국, 영국, 캐나다, 호주 등 여러 나라에서 사용하는 언어예요.English is a language used in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc.This sentence demonstrates using 등 when listing various countries.
- 저희는 학교에서 영어, 수학, 과학 등을 가르칩니다.We teach subjects such as English, math, science, etc. at our school.
- 나는 볼링, 낚시, 등등 취미생활을 즐깁니다.I enjoy hobbies like bowling, fishing, and so on.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are discussing things to pack for a trip.
- 민준 Min-jun준비물로 칫솔, 수건, 샴푸 등 챙겼어?jun-bi-mul-lo chit-sol, su-geon, syam-pu deung chaeng-gyeot-eo?Did you pack things like a toothbrush, towel, shampoo, etc.?
- 민지 Min-ji응, 다 챙겼어.eung, da chaeng-gyeot-eo.Yes, I packed everything.
- 민준 Min-jun그럼 보조 배터리, 충전기 등 전자제품도 챙겨.geu-reom bo-jo bae-teo-ri, chung-jeon-gi deung jeon-ja-je-pum-do chaeng-gye.Then pack electronics such as a power bank, charger, etc.
- 민지 Min-ji알았어, 지금 바로 넣을게.a-rat-eo, ji-geum ba-ro neo-eul-ge.Okay, I will put them in right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 등, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 등, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
