늘
neul
늘 is one line with no break in it
The picture A single unbroken line. Whenever you look, the same thing is in the same place. 늘 is one unbroken line; 가끔 is dots with wide gaps between them.
Where the picture shows up in 늘
-
always in the same spot
저는 늘 여기 있어요.
jeo-neun neul yeo-gi i-sseo-yo
I'm always here.
Every time the door opens, the same person is sitting in the same chair.
-
always the same hour
늘 같은 시간에 문을 열어요.
neul ga-teun si-ga-ne mu-neul yeo-reo-yo
We open at the same time every day.
Clocks from many different days set side by side, every hand stopped on the same mark.
-
gratitude that runs back
늘 도와주셔서 감사합니다.
neul do-wa-ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Thank you for always helping me.
A hand stretched out long, reaching back across all the past days and still held out.
Extremely common as a set phrase of thanks.
-
always, like a habit
그 버스는 늘 늦게 와요.
geu beo-seu-neun neul neut-ge wa-yo
That bus is always late.
On the timetable, the arrival mark is shifted the same distance to the right day after day.
It can carry a note of complaint or resignation.
-
unchanged from long ago
예전부터 늘 그랬어요.
ye-jeon-bu-teo neul geu-rae-sseo-yo
It's always been that way.
Old photographs through to today's, all showing the same thing, lined up in a row.
All of it in one picture
늘 is one line with no break in it. The same person in the same chair means they are 늘 there; clock hands from many days landing on one mark means the hour is 늘 the same. A hand stretched back across past days means you were 늘 helped, an arrival mark shifted the same way every day means the bus is 늘 late, old photos matching today's means it has 늘 been so. It counts no occasions — it only says nothing cut the line.