은둔자
eundunja
The Korean word for hermit is 은둔자 (eundunja).
은둔자 refers to a recluse or someone who lives alone. You might use the phrase 은둔 생활 to describe the actual act or lifestyle of being a hermit, which translates to a life of seclusion.
Meaning: recluse, someone who lives alone (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 은둔자 is composed of the noun 은둔, which means seclusion or reclusion and the suffix 자, which means person.
How do you pronounce it?
eundunja
Did you know?
- While 은둔자 sounds quite heavy and literary, a much more common, slang-adjacent way to describe a social recluse is a 히키코모리, borrowed from Japanese.
- Korea was historically nicknamed 'the hermit kingdom' in English, which corresponds to the Korean concept of 은둔의 왕국 during the Joseon Dynasty's isolationist period.
- In contemporary Korean slang, the feeling of wanting to be a 은둔자 is often expressed through the word 집순이 or 집돌이, meaning 'home-body'.
Examples in context
- 그는 은둔자처럼 돌을 쌓고 산속에 살아요.He lives in the mountains, piling stones like a hermit.
- 저 산에 사는 선인은 아름다움의 조화를 찾으며 살고 있어요.The hermit living in that mountain seeks the harmony of beauty.
- 그 친구는 은둔자처럼 집에서만 시간을 보내고 있어.That friend spends most of their time at home, like a hermit.
- 그는 산속에서 사는 은둔자입니다.geuneun sansogeseo saneun eundunjaimnida.He is a hermit living in the mountains.
- 그는 은둔자처럼 혼자 지내는 것을 좋아해요.geuneun eundunjacheoreom honja jinaeneun geoseul joahaeyo.He likes living alone like a hermit.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are talking about a mysterious neighbor.
- 도현 Do-hyeon옆집 남자는 정말 은둔자 같아요.yeopjip namjaneun jeongmal eundunja gatayo.The man next door is like a real hermit.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요, 거의 밖으로 안 나와요.majayo, geoui bakkeuro an nawayo.True, he hardly ever comes outside.
- 도현 Do-hyeon왜 그렇게 사는지 궁금해요.wae geureoke saneunji gunggeumhaeyo.I wonder why he lives like that.
- 수빈 Su-bin그냥 혼자 있는 게 편한 거겠죠.geunyang honja inneun ge pyeonhan geogessjyo.He probably just finds it comfortable to be alone.
