day 124first-rate or second-best

first-rate or second-best

Compare and judge quality: who has the edge and who is better (우열을 가리다, 우위를 차지하다, 우세하다, 압도적), strengths and weaknesses (이점, 잠재력, 엉성하다, 어설프다), and use the literary -으리오 for a heartfelt “how could I …?”.

today’s words

• 후각 hugak · sense of smell
• 훤하다 hwonhada · bright; well aware (of)
• 희미하다 huimihada · faint, dim
• 쌍벽 ssangbyeok · the two greatest (쌍벽을 이루다)
• 안목 anmok · an eye (for quality), judgement
• 압도 apdo · overwhelming, overpowering
• 압도적 apdojeok · overwhelming
• 양질 yangjil · good quality
• 어설프다 eoseolpeuda · clumsy, half-baked
• 엉성하다 eongseonghada · loose, sloppy, full of holes
• 열악하다 yeorakada · poor, inferior (conditions)
• 예사롭다 yesaropda · ordinary, usual (예사롭지 않다)
• 온전하다 onjeonhada · whole, intact
• 용이하다 yongihada · easy (formal)
• 용하다 yonghada · skilled; (용하게) amazingly
• 우세 use · the edge, upper hand
• 우열 uyeol · which is better (우열을 가리다)
• 우월 uwol · superiority
• 우위 uwi · upper hand, advantage
• 위력 wiryeok · power, might
• 이색적 isaekjeok · unusual, novel, exotic
• 이점 ijeom · advantage, merit
• 잠재력 jamjaeryeok · potential
• 전형 jeonhyeong · model, typical example

sentences

• 우리 개는 후각이 예민해서 비린 냄새를 멀리서도 알아챘다. · Our dog has such a keen sense of smell that it noticed the fishy smell even from far away.
• 그는 오래 살아서 이 동네 사정에 훤하다. · He has lived here so long that he knows everything about this neighbourhood.
• 오래된 사진 속 얼굴이 희미하게 보였다. · The face in the old photo was faint.
• 두 화가는 조선 왕조 후기 미술의 쌍벽을 이룬다. · The two painters are the twin giants of art in the late Joseon dynasty.
• 그녀는 그림을 보는 안목이 높다. · She has a fine eye for paintings.