숨바꼭질

First attested in the Bak Tongsa eonhae (朴通事諺解 / 박통사언해), 1677, as Early Modern Korean 숨막질 (Yale: swummakcil). From 숨— (sum-, “to hide”) + 막— (mak-, “to prevent”) (?) + —질 (-jil, nominalisation suffix).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰumba̠k͈o̞k̚t͡ɕ͈iɭ]
• Phonetic hangul: [숨바꼭찔]

숨바꼭질 • (sumbakkokjil)

1. (games) hide and seek

   아이들은 달빛보다 밝은 가로등 밑에 모여 재미난 숨바꼭질도 하고 고무줄넘기도 하며 밤 늦게까지 놀았다.

   aideureun dalbitboda balgeun garodeung mite moyeo jaeminan sumbakkokjildo hago gomujulleomgido hamyeo bam neutgekkaji noratda.

   Gathering under streetlamps which are brighter than moonlight, children jollily played hide-and-seek and rubber jump rope until late at night.

2. (figurative) appearing and disappearing; being sometimes visible and sometimes invisible

   풀솜 같은 구름 속으로 숨바꼭질을 하는 달을 보며 소희는 고향을 떠올렸다.

   pulsom gateun gureum sogeuro sumbakkokjireul haneun dareul bomyeo sohuineun gohyang'eul tteoollyeotda.

   Sight of the flickering moon in the puffy clouds made Sohui reminisce about her hometown.

3. (figurative) hide and seek; evading

   우리는 단속원들과 숨바꼭질을 하면서 장사를 하는 노점상들을 쉽게 찾아볼 수 있다.

   urineun dansogwondeulgwa sumbakkokjireul hamyeonseo jangsareul haneun nojeomsangdeureul swipge chajabol su itda.

   We can easily find street vendors in business who are playing hide-and-seek with the street wardens.

• 술래잡기 (sullaejapgi)
• (North Korea) 숨기내기 (sumginaegi), 숨을내기 (sumeullaegi)

• (abbreviation) 숨박질 (sumbakjil)
• (verb) 숨바꼭질하다 (sumbakkokjilhada)