우리

Jeju

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Korean 우〮리〮 (wúlí), from Old Korean 吾里 (*WUli).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /uɾi/

Pronoun

우리 (uri)

1. we, us
2. our
3. (when referring to one's own family members) my

References

• “우리” in Andrew Cheng; K. David Harrison, Jeju-eo Talking Dictionary, Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages, 2014.
• “우리” in Jeju's culture and language, Digital museum.

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Korean 우〮리〮 (wúlí), from Old Korean 吾里 (*WUli), from Old Korean 又 (*wu) + unknown suffix *-li. The root is different from the singular first-person pronoun, 나 (na).

In the Hangul script, first attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 우〮리〮 (Yale: wúlí).

Alternative forms

• (contraction) 울 (ul)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [uɾi]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [우리]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	uri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	uli
McCune–Reischauer?	uri
Yale Romanization?	wuli

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 우리의 / 우리에 / 우리까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, except before consonant-initial multisyllabic suffixes, when it takes full low pitch.

Pronoun

우리 • (uri)

1. we, us
2. our
3. (when referring to one's own family members) my

   우리 어머니는 이번 주에 마을에 계십니다.

   Uri eomeoni-neun ibeon ju-e ma'eur-e gyesimnida.

   My mother is in town this week.

Usage notes

우리 (uri) often translates best into English as “my”:

• 우리 집 (uri jip, “my house”, literally “our house”)
• 우리 남편 (uri nampyeon, “my husband”, literally “our husband”)

Derived terms

• 우리나라 (urinara)
• 우리말 (urimal)

 

Etymology 2

First attested in the Hunmong jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527, as Middle Korean 우리〮 (Yale: wùlí).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [uɾi]

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [우리]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	uri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	uli
McCune–Reischauer?	uri
Yale Romanization?	wuli

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 우리의 / 우리에 / 우리까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the first syllable, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

우리 • (uri)

1. cage, pen, coop

   돼지 우리 ― dwaeji uri ― pig pen

Middle Korean

Etymology 1

From Old Korean 吾里 (*WUli), from Old Korean 又 (*wu) + unknown suffix *-li.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ú.lí/, [ú.ɾí]

Pronoun

우〮리〮 (wúlí)

1. we; us
   • 1586, Widow of Yi Eung-tae, Letter excavated from the grave of Yi Eung-tae:

     ᄆᆡ야ᇰ자내ᄃᆞ려내닐오ᄃᆡᄒᆞᆫᄃᆡ누어셔이보소ᄂᆞᆷ도우리ᄀᆞ티서ᄅᆞ에엿ᄲᅵ녀겨ᄉᆞ라ᇰᄒᆞ리ᄂᆞᆷ도우리ᄀᆞᄐᆞᆫ가

     moyyang canay-tolye na-y nilwotoy hontoy nwuesye, "i pwoswo, nom-two wuli kothi selo eyyesspi nyekye solang-holi? nom-two wuli kothonka?"

     All the time, I used to say to you—while we were lying together—"Hey, do you think other [wives and husbands] look at each other as prettily and love each other as much as we do? Do you think they're like us too?"

Descendants

• Jeju: 우리 (uri)
• Korean: 우리 (uri)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ù.lí/, [ù.ɾí]

Noun

우리〮 (wùlí)

1. cage, pen, coop

Descendants

• Korean: 우리 (uri)