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~(이)야말로: Emphasizing a Noun Over All Others
Vocabulary
Click on the English word to see information and examples of that word in use. Use these sentences to give yourself a feel for how each word can be used, and maybe even to expose yourself to the grammar that you will be learning shortly.
A PDF file neatly presenting these words and extra information can be found here.
Nouns:
평화 = peace
Common Usages:
평화 시위 = peace protest
Examples:
평화 통일을 이룩하기 위해 더 많은 대화를 해야 돼요
= We need to have more conversations in order to accomplish peaceful unification
외교야말로 국가 간의 평화를 유지하는 핵심 요소예요
= Diplomacy is truly the key to maintaining peace between nations
그림 속 풍경은 우리에게 평화로움과 블루의 감정을 전달했어요
= The landscape in the painting conveyed a sense of peace and the emotion of blue
요소 = element, factor
Common Usages:
핵심 요소 = key factor
중요 요소 = important element
Examples:
외교야말로 국가 간의 평화를 유지하는 핵심 요소예요
= Diplomacy is truly the key to maintaining peace between nations
언론의 자유는 민주주의의 중요한 요소 중 하나예요
= Freedom of the press is one of the important elements of democracy
그 영화는 개그 요소가 많아서 영화를 보면서 많이 웃었어요
= The movie had a lot of comedy elements, so I laughed a lot while watching the movie
학습에서 반복은 기억을 강화시키는 중요한 요소예요
= Repetition is an important element in learning that strengthens memory
인재 = talented person
Common Usages:
인재를 양성하다 = to foster talent
인재 양성 = talent development
Examples:
그 연예인이 훌륭한 인재예요
= That celebrity is a talented person
분석가야말로 기업의 성공을 위해 필수적인 인재예요
= Analysts are truly essential talents for a company’s success
외교 = diplomacy
Common Usages:
외교관 = diplomat
정치외교 = political diplomacy
Examples:
외교야말로 국가 간의 평화를 유지하는 핵심 요소예요
= Diplomacy is truly the key to maintaining peace between nations
정부는 외교야말로 신중하게 다루어져야 한다고 강조했어요
= The government emphasized that diplomacy is truly what must be handled carefully
대통령의 성공적인 외교능력으로 여당이 더 힘을 얻게 됐어요
= Thanks to the successful diplomacy abilities of the president, the ruling party got more power
분석가 = analyst
Examples:
그 선생님은 경제 분석가로 일하고 있어요
= That teacher works as an economic analyst
분석가야말로 기업의 성공을 위해 필수적인 인재예요
= Analysts are truly essential talents for a company’s success
수필 = essay
Common Usages:
수필을 출간하다 = to publish an essay
Examples:
그 학생은 아름다운 수필을 썼어요
= That student wrote a beautiful essay
수필이야말로 작가의 진솔한 생각이 담긴 문학 형식이에요
= Essays are truly a literary form that contains an author’s sincere thoughts
죄책감 = sense of guilt
Examples:
죄책감야말로 극복하기 어려운 감정이에요
= A sense of guilt is truly the most difficult emotion to overcome
죄책감이야말로 사람을 가장 깊이 반성하게 만드는 감정이에요
= A sense of guilt is truly the emotion that makes people reflect the deepest
과거에 벌인 일에 대한 죄책감이 저를 옥죄이고 있어요
= The sense of guilt from the past event is choking me
필수적 = necessary, needed
Examples:
물은 생존에 필수적이에요
= Water is essential for survival
분석가야말로 기업의 성공을 위해 필수적인 인재예요
= Analysts are truly essential talents for a company’s success
가능성 = possibility
Common Usages:
무한한 가능성 = unlimited possibility
가능성을 높이다 = to increase possibility
Examples:
한없이 넓은 하늘이야말로 인류의 끝없는 가능성을 상징해요
= The endlessly vast sky is truly a symbol of humanity’s limitless potential
자원이 풍부한 나라일수록 미래에 더 발전할 가능성이 있어요
= As a country has more resources, there is more of a possibility for it to develop
외진 지역일수록 원주민들은 외부에서 들어온 사람을 배척할 가능성이 있어요
= As you get to a more secluded location, native peoples of a land are more likely to reject people from other places
북한 사람들이 북한에서 탈출할 때도 잡혀서 죽을 가능성이 있어요
= It is possible for North Korean people to be captured and killed even when they are trying to escape the country
Verbs:
돋다 = to bud, to sprout
Common Usages:
싹이 돋다 = for sprouts to bud
새싹이 돋다
소름이 돋다 = to have goosebumps
Examples:
그 장면을 볼 때마다 소름이 돋아요
= Everytime I see that scene, I get goosebumps
새싹이 돋는 봄이야말로 자연의 아름다움을 가장 잘 보여줘요
= Spring, when new sprouts emerge, is truly the season that best showcases nature’s beauty
다루다 = to handle, to treat
Common Usages:
문제를 다루다 = to handle a problem
Examples:
그 문제는 조심스럽게 다루어야 해요
= That issue should be handled carefully
정부는 외교야말로 신중하게 다루어져야 한다고 강조했어요
= The government emphasized that diplomacy is truly what must be handled carefully
찡그리다 = to frown
Common Usages:
표정을 찡그리다 = to frown
Examples:
어머니는 찡그린 얼굴야말로 제가 고쳐야 한다고 말씀하셨어요
= My mother said that a frowning face is truly what I must fix
찡그린 표정이야말로 감정을 숨기기 어려운 순간을 보여줘요
= A frowning expression is truly a moment when it’s hard to hide emotions
상징하다 = to symbolize, to represent
Common Usages:
상징성 = symbolism
Examples:
비둘기는 평화를 상징해요
= The dove symbolizes peace
서구 문명은 현대화의 상징이다
= Western civilization is a symbol of modernization
장미는 사랑과 아름다움의 상징이에요
= Roses symbolize love and beauty
한없이 넓은 하늘이야말로 인류의 끝없는 가능성을 상징해요
= The endlessly vast sky is truly a symbol of humanity’s limitless potential
진흥하다 = to promote
Examples:
정부는 관광 산업을 진흥하고 있어요
= The government is promoting the tourism industry
문화를 진흥하는 것이야말로 국가의 정체성을 지키는 길이에요
= Promoting culture is truly the way to preserve a nation’s identity
주유하다 = to refuel
Common Usages:
주유소 = gas station
주유비 = cost of gas
Examples:
자동차에 휘발유를 주유해야 해요
= You need to refuel your car with gasoline
여행 전 주유하는 것이야말로 시간을 절약하는 좋은 습관이에요
= Refueling before a trip is truly a good habit that saves time
선불하다 = to pay in advance
Common Usages:
선불요금 = prepaid fee
선불지급 = advance payment
선불폰 = prepaid phone
Examples:
우리는 숙박비를 선불로 냈어요
= We paid the lodging fee in advance
선불 결제야말로 예산 관리를 쉽게 해주는 방법이에요
= Paying in advance is truly a method that makes budget management easier
발달하다 = to develop
Common Usages:
눈부시게 발달하다 = to develop remarkably
Examples:
기술의 발달이 사회 변화를 이끌어요
= The development of technology is what drives social change
선진국은 기술과 경제력이 발달한 나라를 가리켜요
= A developed nation refers to a country with advanced technology and economic power
지난 10년 동안 베트남의 상업은 많이 발달했어요
= Business in Vietnam developed a lot in the past ten years
창의성을 발달시키는 데 좋은 것 중 하나는 독서예요
= Reading is one of the ways to increase one’s creativity
Adjectives:
여유롭다 = to be leisurely, to be relaxed
Common Usages:
마음이 여유롭다 = to feel at ease
경제적으로 여유롭다 = to be financially comfortable
Examples:
제가 외딴섬에서 여유로운 휴가를 보냈어요
= I spent a leisurely vacation on a remote island
차 한 잔을 우리는 시간이야말로 하루를 여유롭게 만드는 순간이에요
= The time it takes for a cup of tea to brew is truly a moment that brings relaxation to the day
진솔하다 = to be honest, to be frank
Examples:
학생은 진솔하게 자신의 생각을 말했다
= The student spoke his thoughts honestly
수필이야말로 작가의 진솔한 생각이 담긴 문학 형식이에요
= Essays are truly a literary form that contains an author’s sincere thoughts
Adverbs and Other Words:
한없이 = endlessly, infinitely
Examples:
저는 꿈을 잃고 한없이 방황했어요
= I lost my dream, and wandered around for a while
한없이 넓은 하늘이야말로 인류의 끝없는 가능성을 상징해요
= The endlessly vast sky is truly a symbol of humanity’s limitless potential
There are 730 vocabulary entries in Unit 7. All entries are linked to an audio file.
You can download all of these files in one package here.
For help memorizing these words, try using our mobile app.
Introduction
In this lesson, we will see the nuanced meaning that ~(이)야말로 can add to a sentence. Let’s get started!
~(이)야말로: Emphasizing a Noun Over All Others
Let’s look at the following sentence:
기술의 발달이 사회 변화를 이끌어요
= The development of technology is what drives social change
There is nothing wrong with this sentence. The speaker is simply stating their thoughts or opinion. You can add nuance to this sentence by attaching ~(이)야말로 to the subject, for example:
기술의 발달이야말로 사회 변화를 이끌어요
Adding ~(이)야말로 emphasizes that particular noun – above all others. By context, you can assume that the speaker and listeners were probably talking about what drives social change prior to this sentence being said. Other speakers in the room probably mentioned other drivers of social change. However, the speaker uses this sentence to say, above all other things, it is truly the development of technology that drives social change.
It is hard to translate this nuance to English. Here are two of my attempts:
기술의 발달이야말로 사회 변화를 이끌어요
= The development of technology is truly what drives social change
= Above all else, the development of technology is what drives social change
It is also possible to attach ~(이)야말로 to the object of a sentence. Let’s look at a plain sentence to start:
저는 슬픔을 극복해야 해요
= I must overcome my sadness
There is nothing wrong with this sentence. The speaker is simply stating their thought or opinion. You can add nuance to this sentence by attaching ~(이)야말로 to the object, for example:
저는 슬픔이야말로 극복해야 해요
Here, the speaker stresses that, above all else, it is their sadness that they must overcome. It is hard to translate this nuance to English. Here are two of my attempts:
저는 슬픔이야말로 극복해야 해요
= My sadness is truly what I must overcome
= Above all else, it is my sadness that I must overcome
It might be good to note that 말 in ~(이)야말로 is not technically the word 말 to mean “speech” or “words.” Although you have been learning about the versatility of 말 in the past three lessons, (Lesson 163, 164, 165), 말 is not related to these as ~(이)야말로 is a particle on its own.
Below are many more examples. I have not separated them based on their function in the sentence to give you practice in recognizing both of them:
몸짓이야말로 말보다 더 강한 메시지를 전달할 수 있어요
= Gestures can convey a stronger message than words
외교야말로 국가 간의 평화를 유지하는 핵심 요소예요
= Diplomacy is truly the key to maintaining peace between nations
손길이야말로 어려움에 처한 사람들에게 가장 큰 위로가 돼요
= A helping hand is truly the greatest comfort for those in difficulty
분석가야말로 기업의 성공을 위해 필수적인 인재예요
= Analysts are truly essential talents for a company’s success
수필이야말로 작가의 진솔한 생각이 담긴 문학 형식이에요
= Essays are truly a literary form that contains an author’s sincere thoughts
죄책감이야말로 사람을 가장 깊이 반성하게 만드는 감정이에요
= A sense of guilt is truly the emotion that makes people reflect the deepest
새싹이 돋는 봄이야말로 자연의 아름다움을 가장 잘 보여줘요
= Spring, when new sprouts emerge, is truly the season that best showcases nature’s beauty
찡그린 표정이야말로 감정을 숨기기 어려운 순간을 보여줘요
= A frowning expression is truly a moment when it’s hard to hide emotions
문화를 진흥하는 것이야말로 국가의 정체성을 지키는 길이에요
= Promoting culture is truly the way to preserve a nation’s identity
여행 전 주유하는 것이야말로 시간을 절약하는 좋은 습관이에요
= Refueling before a trip is truly a good habit that saves time
선불 결제야말로 예산 관리를 쉽게 해주는 방법이에요
= Paying in advance is truly a method that makes budget management easier
차 한 잔을 우리는 시간이야말로 하루를 여유롭게 만드는 순간이에요
= The time it takes for a cup of tea to brew is truly a moment that brings relaxation to the day
한없이 넓은 하늘이야말로 인류의 끝없는 가능성을 상징해요
= The endlessly vast sky is truly a symbol of humanity’s limitless potential
정부는 외교야말로 신중하게 다루어져야 한다고 강조했어요
= The government emphasized that diplomacy is truly what must be handled carefully
죄책감야말로 극복하기 어려운 감정이에요
= A sense of guilt is truly the most difficult emotion to overcome
어머니는 찡그린 얼굴야말로 제가 고쳐야 한다고 말씀하셨어요
= My mother said that a frowning face is truly what I must fix
There are 510 example sentences in Unit 7.
All entries are linked to an audio file. You can download all of these files in one package here.
Click here to go to the Mini-Test for Lessons 159 – 166.
Don’t want to take the test? Click here to jump to the next set of lessons: Lessons 167 – 175. Or, go straight to Lesson 167.