물을 하다
To 하다 물
शाब्दिक अर्थ: To do water
Use it to describe traditional, professional sea harvesting, especially when discussing Jeju Island's famous female divers.
15 सेकंड में
- Traditional breath-hold diving for seafood.
- Specifically associated with Jeju Haenyeo culture.
- Implies hard work, not leisure swimming.
मतलब
This phrase refers to the traditional practice of diving into the sea to harvest seafood (like abalone, sea urchins, or seaweed) without oxygen tanks, or more generally, working in the water.
मुख्य उदाहरण
3 / 6Observing divers in Jeju
저기 해녀분들이 물질을 하고 계시네요.
The Haenyeo are doing their water work over there.
Asking a local about their job
얼마나 오랫동안 물을 하셨어요?
How long have you been doing water work?
Texting a friend about a documentary
오늘 해녀들이 물질하는 다큐멘터리 봤는데 진짜 멋있더라!
I watched a documentary about Haenyeo diving today, it was so cool!
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
This phrase is inseparable from the 'Haenyeo' (sea women) of Jeju Island. It represents a unique matriarchal economic structure where women were the primary divers while men stayed on shore. It became a symbol of Korean female empowerment and resilience during tough economic times.
The 'Orange Ball' Secret
If you see an orange ball floating on the water in Korea, that's a 'Tewak'. It means someone is currently 'doing water' (diving) underneath it. Stay clear so they can surface safely!
Not Just 'Swimming'
Never use '물질' to describe your vacation swimming. It sounds like you're claiming to be a professional harvester, which might get some funny looks at the beach.
15 सेकंड में
- Traditional breath-hold diving for seafood.
- Specifically associated with Jeju Haenyeo culture.
- Implies hard work, not leisure swimming.
What It Means
When you hear someone say they are going to 물을 하다 (or more formally, 물질을 하다), they aren't just going for a swim. They are talking about the gritty, impressive work of traditional Korean sea harvesting. It’s the art of holding your breath, diving deep into the cold ocean, and grabbing dinner with your bare hands or a small tool. While it sounds like a hobby, in Korea, this is a respected profession with deep historical roots. It’s about the physical connection between a human and the sea.
How To Use It
You’ll mostly use this when talking about the famous 해녀 (Haenyeo) or female divers of Jeju Island. If you see someone in a wetsuit with a bright orange float (called a 테왁), they are about to 물을 하다. You can use it as a verb to describe their daily work. In a sentence, you might say, "My grandmother spent her whole life 물질하며 (doing water work) to raise her kids."
When To Use It
This is a great phrase to use when visiting coastal areas, especially Jeju Island or the southern provinces. It’s a conversation starter when you see fresh seafood at a market. You can ask the vendor, "Did you 물질해서 (harvest this by diving) yourself?" It shows you understand the hard work behind that plate of abalone. It’s also perfect for discussing Korean history or UNESCO heritage, as the Haenyeo culture is protected globally.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for a casual trip to the pool or a water park! For that, you should use 물놀이 (water play) or 수영 (swimming). If you tell your friends you’re going to 물을 하다 at the local gym, they’ll expect you to come back with a bag of sea cucumbers instead of just having done some laps. Also, avoid using it for modern commercial fishing with nets or boats—this phrase is specifically for the 'human-in-the-water' style of harvesting.
Cultural Background
This phrase is the heartbeat of Jeju Island. For centuries, the 해녀 have been the breadwinners of their families, diving up to 10-20 meters on a single breath. It’s a matriarchal subculture that is incredibly rare. In 2016, this practice was even added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It represents the 'strong Korean mother' archetype—resilient, hardworking, and deeply in tune with nature. There’s a saying that they dive "between this world and the underworld" because of the danger involved.
Common Variations
The most standard form is 물질을 하다. In the Jeju dialect, you might hear locals simply say 물하다. You might also hear 물질 나가다 (to go out for water work). If someone is really good at it, they are called a 상군 (top-tier diver). If you're talking about the specific act of diving, you can use 잠수하다, but that lacks the 'working for a living' nuance that 물을 하다 carries.
इस्तेमाल की जानकारी
The phrase is neutral but carries a heavy cultural weight. Use the full form '물질을 하다' in most writing, and '물을 하다' only in very casual or dialect-heavy speech.
The 'Orange Ball' Secret
If you see an orange ball floating on the water in Korea, that's a 'Tewak'. It means someone is currently 'doing water' (diving) underneath it. Stay clear so they can surface safely!
Not Just 'Swimming'
Never use '물질' to describe your vacation swimming. It sounds like you're claiming to be a professional harvester, which might get some funny looks at the beach.
The Haenyeo Whistle
When divers surface, they make a high-pitched whistling sound called 'Sumbisori'. It's how they quickly expel carbon dioxide and take in fresh air. It's the signature sound of '물질'!
उदाहरण
6저기 해녀분들이 물질을 하고 계시네요.
The Haenyeo are doing their water work over there.
A natural observation while sightseeing.
얼마나 오랫동안 물을 하셨어요?
How long have you been doing water work?
Showing respect for a veteran diver's career.
오늘 해녀들이 물질하는 다큐멘터리 봤는데 진짜 멋있더라!
I watched a documentary about Haenyeo diving today, it was so cool!
Using the phrase to describe a cultural experience.
나는 평생 물질을 해서 자식들을 키웠단다.
I raised my children by doing water work my entire life.
Reflecting on a life of hard work.
이건 기계로 잡은 게 아니라 직접 물질해서 따온 거예요.
This wasn't caught by a machine; it was personally harvested by diving.
Emphasizing the manual labor involved.
나도 제주도 가서 물질이나 해볼까?
Should I try my hand at water work in Jeju?
A lighthearted joke about changing careers to be a diver.
खुद को परखो
Choose the correct phrase to describe a professional diver harvesting seafood.
할머니는 오늘도 바다에 ___ 나가셨어요.
`물질하러` (to do water work) is the specific term for professional harvesting, unlike `수영` (swimming) or `목욕` (bathing).
Complete the sentence to talk about Jeju culture.
제주도 하면 역시 해녀들의 ___이/가 유명하죠.
`물질` is the noun form of the activity that Haenyeo are famous for.
🎉 स्कोर: /2
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Formality and Context of '물을 하다'
Talking to friends about a trip to Jeju.
나 물질 체험 해봤어!
General description of the profession.
해녀들은 물질을 합니다.
Documentaries or historical accounts.
제주 여성들은 물질을 통해 생계를 유지했습니다.
Where you'll encounter '물을 하다'
Jeju Island Coast
Seeing the orange floats in the water.
Seafood Market
Asking if the abalone is 'diver-caught'.
History Museum
Learning about UNESCO heritage.
Family Stories
Grandparents talking about the old days.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालNo. 수영하다 is for exercise or fun. 물을 하다 (or 물질을 하다) specifically means diving into the sea to harvest seafood as a job.
Yes, though it is historically associated with women (Haenyeo), men who dive for seafood are called 포작인 or 해남 and they also 물질을 합니다.
People will understand you, but it sounds very 'coastal.' In Seoul, people usually use the full term 물질을 하다 when referring to the activity.
The essence of this phrase is diving *without* oxygen tanks. If you use tanks, it's called 스쿠버 다이빙 (Scuba diving).
No, it's a standard, though somewhat specialized, term. Using 물을 하다 instead of 물질을 하다 is a common colloquial shortening.
It is declining as the Haenyeo population ages, which is why the phrase now carries a sense of cultural preservation and respect.
Technically yes, but in 99% of cases, it refers to sea diving. For rivers, people usually just say 다슬기를 잡다 (catching snails).
You use 을/를. So it is 물을 하다 or 물질을 하다.
In old Korean, 'doing' an object often meant working with it. So 'doing water' means 'working the water'.
Yes, just add the polite endings: 물질을 해요 or 물질을 하십니다 (honorific).
संबंधित मुहावरे
해녀 (Female diver)
물놀이 (Playing in water)
물갈이 (Stomach trouble from water change)
숨비소리 (The sound divers make when surfacing)
바다의 여인 (Woman of the sea)
टिप्पणियाँ (0)
टिप्पणी के लिए लॉगिन करेंमुफ्त में भाषाएं सीखना शुरू करें
मुफ़्त में सीखना शुरू करो