Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

A new word has entered the Korean vocabulary to replace the English word "condom." The new word "Efeel" literally means an "essential item for love." Health officials hope the new word may offer a friendlier image of condoms to Koreans. The federation held a contest last month inviting the public to submit an alternative word for "condom," and Efeel was selected as the best after going through a list of ABOUT 19,000 candidate words. The new word is expected to appear in various sections of the federation including advertising and education programs aimed at preventing the spread of HIV infection.
A New Korean Word Coined for Condom. Chosun Ilbo (November 25, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200411/200411250018.html

[peppermint]

Does anyone besides me find the guy's thumb size a little odd in proportion to stuff?

[SarcasmKills]

**Insert Korean manhood size joke here**

[chronicpride]

Glad they got condoms over here to wrap up those beasts.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Why would they choose a word with an 'f' in it?

[Real Reality]

'Efeel' is a newly coined term, which has a combined meaning of something you must have to make love. 'E' is from Korean word 'Eh' meaning love and 'feel' from 'phil' meaning must or must-have, it explained.
The Korea Herald (November 25, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/11/25/200411250020.asp

[kangnamdragon]

How is it written in hangeul? They cannot even write the 'f' sound. They must mean 'pil" from �ʴ�, so I would guess ����.?

[Hyalucent]

Strangely... I bet it's written in Korean the same way they would write "Evil".

[Real Reality]

���� (efeel)
It might be interesting to consider the two parts of the word.
�� (e) tends to mean the following:
1. anxiety; worry; trouble.
be anxious [nervous, worried] ((about))
�״� �θ𿡰� �ָ� ���δ� He is a constant source of anxiety to his parents.
2. pains; trouble; effort(s); labor(s).
3. a child.
4. the very first; infant; very young; fresh; childish; boyish; green.
�ֹ� the first round [time].

�� (feel or peel) tends to mean:
1. a head.
�� [��] ���� three head of horses [cows].
2. a roll of cloth.
3. ������ Paid.
�˻� �� ((����)) Examined.
See http://kr.dic.yahoo.com/all/search.html

Selected Articles Headlines

�ܵ� ��Ī Ȯ�� '����'
http://www.khan.co.kr/kh_news/art_view.html?artid=200411241752221&code=940100
�ܵ� �� �̸� '����'
�ѱ���������ġ����(���� ����)�� ������ �ܵ� ��� '����(����)'�̶�� �� ����� �ߴٰ� 24�� ������.
http://news.joins.com/society/200411/24/200411241822348831300035003510.html
����(����)
http://www.hankyung.com/cgi-bin/kisaview.cgi?NewsID=2004112549511&Date=200411&Cid=51&Sid=140305

[peppergirl]

����(����)


Real Reality, you posted entirely wrong translations for those words...

��(��)= love

��(��)= necessary, must

I think it's nice to connected the new word for condom with love

[Real Reality]

Look up the two parts in a Korean-English Dictionary.
�� (e): anxiety; worry; trouble.
�� (feel): a head; a roll of cloth; finished.

If you use the Hanja, then peppergirl is correct. However, if you strictly focus on the Hangeul, then you will find what I found. It seems Korean-English dictionaries show the Korean (Hangeul), not necessarily the Hanja characters.
1. �� ---> ��� ---> love; affection; attachment; passion
http://hanja.naver.com/hanja.php?where=hanja&query=��

2. �� ---> �ݵ�� ---> certainly; surely; necessarily; inevitably
http://hanja.naver.com/hanja.php?where=hanja&query=��

Hanja, or 'Sino-Korean characters', means the Chinese characters used in Korea. For more on Hanja, see the following: learnkorean.com -- link: http://www.learnkorean.com/whanja/hclassindex.asp

Anyway, look up the Korean characters (Hangeul).
1. �� ---> anxiety; worry; trouble.
A. Korean-English Dictionary (Yahoo)
http://kr.engdic.yahoo.com/eng/search.html?p=%BE%D6&condition%5B%5D=1&condition%5B%5D=2&condition%5B%5D=3&x=10&y=11
B. Korean-English Dictionary (Naver)
http://endic.naver.com/search.naver?mode=all&query=%BE%D6&x=31&y=7

2. �� ---> a head; a roll of cloth; finished.
A. Korean-English Dictionary (Yahoo)
http://kr.engdic.yahoo.com/eng/search.html?p=%C7%CA&condition%5B%5D=1&condition%5B%5D=2&condition=3&x=31&y=15
B. Korean-English Dictionary (Naver)
http://endic.naver.com/search.naver?mode=all&query=%C7%CA&x=22&y=9

Koreans use their own unique alphabet called Hangeul. It is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence. Throughout history, Hangeul has been at the root of the Korean culture, helping to preserve its national identity and independence.
What is Hangeul?
Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Republic of Korea
http://www.mct.go.kr/english/K_about/Language02.html

[mithridates]

It's the hanja. Native Korean words don't just mush together like that.

[whatthefunk]

Alright. So we got a new word for condoms. Every Korean person under the age of 87.5 will be lined up at drug stores everywhere to buy their new efeels. STD rates will plumet. Unwanted pregnacies will be a thing of the past. Kim Jung Il will suddenly die and the two countries will be reunited in a wonderful cermony full of efeelification. George Bush will resign and all the greedy powerful fuckers in America will simulatneously commit suicide. Isrealies and Arabs will shake hands, hug eachother, use their nes efeels with eachother. The world will be perfect. Thank you efeels!!

[chronicpride]

I wonder if the switch was done to remove any potentially 'byeontae'-sounding Konglish words.

[crazylemongirl]

the last korean I did it with called them CDs. When I pointed out that that meant Compact disks, why not call a spade a spade he got all embarassed.