서

See also: -서

서 U+C11C, 서 HANGUL SYLLABLE SEO Composition: ㅅ + ㅓ ← 섛 [U+C11B] Hangul Syllables 석 → [U+C11D]

서석섞섟선섡섢 섣설섥섦섧섨섩 섪섫섬섭섮섯섰 성섲섳섴섵섶섷
섀 ←	→ 세

Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 西, from the Middle Korean reading 셔 (Yale: syè), from Middle Chinese 西 (MC sej).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰʌ̹]
• Phonetic hangul: [서]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	seo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	seo
McCune–Reischauer?	sŏ
Yale Romanization?	se

Noun

서 • (seo) (hanja 西)

1. west

Coordinate terms

• (compass points)

서북(西北) (seobuk) 북서(北西) (bukseo)	북(北) (buk)	동북(東北) (dongbuk) 북동(北東) (bukdong)
서(西) (seo)		동(東) (dong)
서남(西南) (seonam) 남서(南西) (namseo)	남(南) (nam)	동남(東南) (dongnam) 남동(南東) (namdong)

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 西 for Sino-Korean compounds of 서 (西, seo).

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 署.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰɘ(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [서(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	seo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	seo
McCune–Reischauer?	sŏ
Yale Romanization?	sē

Noun

서 • (seo) (hanja 署)

1. police station

   서에서 봅시다.

   Seoeseo bopsida.

   See [you] at the police station.

Suffix

—서 • (-seo) (hanja 署)

1. office; bureau; station

   경찰서(警察署) ― gyeongchalseo ― police station

   소방서(消防署) ― sobangseo ― fire station

   관공서(官公署) ― gwan'gongseo ― government office

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 署 for Sino-Korean compounds of 서 (署, seo).

Etymology 3

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 서〯 (Yale: sě). Beyond Middle Korean, see Appendix:Historical Koreanic numerals#Three for related forms.

Pronunciation

Korean numbers ^(edit)

	30
←  2	3	4  → [a], [b], [c]
Native isol.: 셋 (set)     Native attr.: 세 (se), (dated) 석 (seok), (archaic) 서 (seo)     Sino-Korean: 삼 (sam)     Hanja: 三     Ordinal: 셋째 (setjjae)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰɘ(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [서(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	seo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	seo
McCune–Reischauer?	sŏ
Yale Romanization?	sē

Numeral

서 • (seo)

1. (archaic) three (before certain classifiers)

   Synonym: 세 (se, more productive equivalent)

Etymology 4

Modern Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

서 (seo)

Extended content

西: west (eumhun reading: 서녘 서 (seonyeok seo)) (MC reading: 西 (MC sej)) 書: document (eumhun reading: 글 서 (geul seo)) (MC reading: 書 (MC syo)) 徐: slow (eumhun reading: 천천히 서 (cheoncheonhi seo)) (MC reading: 徐 (MC zjo)) 緖: clue (eumhun reading: 실마리 서 (silmari seo)) (MC reading: 緖) 序: order (eumhun reading: 차례 서 (charye seo)) (MC reading: 序 (MC zjoX)) 瑞: auspicious (eumhun reading: 상서로울 서 (sangseoroul seo)) (MC reading: 瑞 (MC dzyweH)) 庶: crowd (eumhun reading: 무리 서 (muri seo)) (MC reading: 庶 (MC syoH)) 署: bureau (eumhun reading: 관청 서 (gwancheong seo)) (MC reading: 署 (MC dzyoH)) 敍: record (eumhun reading: 서술할 서 (seosulhal seo)) (MC reading: 敍) 誓: vow (eumhun reading: 맹세할 서 (maengsehal seo)) (MC reading: 誓 (MC dzyejH)) 鼠: rat (eumhun reading: 쥐 서 (jwi seo)) (MC reading: 鼠 (MC syoX)) 恕: forgive (eumhun reading: 용서할 서 (yongseohal seo)) (MC reading: 恕 (MC syoH)) 棲: reside (eumhun reading: 깃들일 서 (gitdeuril seo)) (MC reading: 棲 (MC sej)) 嶼: islet (eumhun reading: 섬 서 (seom seo)) (MC reading: 嶼 (MC zjoX)) 逝: pass; pass away (eumhun reading: 갈 서 (gal seo)) (MC reading: 逝 (MC dzyejH)) 曙: dawn (eumhun reading: 새벽 서 (saebyeok seo)) (MC reading: 曙 (MC dzyoH)) 暑: hot (eumhun reading: 더울 서 (deoul seo)) (MC reading: 暑 (MC syoX)) 舒: unfurl (eumhun reading: 펼 서 (pyeol seo)) (MC reading: 舒 (MC syo)) 抒: express (eumhun reading: 풀 서 (pul seo)) (MC reading: 抒 (MC zjoX|zyoX)) 犀: rhinoceros (eumhun reading: 무소 서 (muso seo)) (MC reading: 犀 (MC sej)) 薯: potato (eumhun reading: 감자 서 (gamja seo)) (MC reading: 薯 (MC dzyoH)) 胥: together (eumhun reading: 서로 서 (seoro seo)) (MC reading: 胥 (MC sjo|sjoX)) 黍: millet (eumhun reading: 기장 서 (gijang seo)) (MC reading: 黍 (MC syoX)) 墅: farmer's hut (eumhun reading: 농막 서 (nongmak seo)) (MC reading: 墅 (MC dzyoX)) 鋤: hoe (eumhun reading: 호미 서 (homi seo)) (MC reading: 鋤 (MC dzrjo)) 壻: son-in-law (eumhun reading: 사위 서 (sawi seo)) (MC reading: 壻) 絮: cotton (eumhun reading: 솜 서 (som seo)) (MC reading: 絮 (MC sjoH|nrjoH|trhjoH|naeH)) 筮: divination (eumhun reading: 점 서 (jeom seo)) (MC reading: 筮 (MC dzyejH)) 噬: chew (eumhun reading: 씹을 서 (ssibeul seo)) (MC reading: 噬 (MC dzyejH)) 揟: filter (eumhun reading: 거를 서 (georeul seo)) (MC reading: 揟 (MC sjo)) 撕: rip, tear (eumhun reading: 찢을 서 (jjijeul seo)) (MC reading: 撕 (MC sej)) 紓: lax (eumhun reading: 느슨할 서 (neuseunhal seo)) (MC reading: 紓 (MC syo|zyoX)) 芧: oak tree (eumhun reading: 상수리나무 서 (sangsurinamu seo)) (MC reading: 芧 (MC drjoX))