충치

Korean

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?chungchi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?chungchi
McCune–Reischauer?ch'ungch'i
Yale Romanization?chwungchi

Etymology 1

    Sino-Korean word from (worm) + (tooth).

    Noun

    충치 • (chungchi) (hanja 蟲齒)

    1. dental cavity; dental caries; rotten teeth

    Etymology 2

      Sino-Korean word from 蟲豸 (insect).

      Noun

      충치 • (chungchi) (hanja 蟲豸)

      1. (figurative, derogatory, obsolete) mean and worthless person
        • c. 1725, 이창중/李昌仲 [Yi Changjung], “천지일가곡/天地一家曲”, in 연연정창수록/然然亭唱酬錄:
          ()() 어듭기ᄂᆞᆫ ()() ()들엇ᄂᆡ / () 고치면 ()() 멀노소랴
          myeongmyeong-i eodeupgi-neun muryog-e byeongdeureonnae / i byeong-eul mot gochimyeon chyungchi-deul meollosorya
          It is not that [Heaven's] bright mandate is dark, but rather one is diseased by material craving / If one does not cure this disease, would one much different from insects?