알다
al-da
In Korean, knowing is having the slot already filled
The picture Something from outside walks into the head, takes a seat, and that spot lights up. alda is that slot in your head being filled; moreuda is the same slot sitting empty.
Where the picture shows up in 알다
-
A fact sits in its slot
그 가게 전화번호를 알아요?
geu ga-ge jeon-hwa-beon-ho-reul a-ra-yo
Do you know that shop's number?
You pull open a drawer in your head and the slip with that number is right there
-
A face comes with a name
저 사람을 잘 알아요.
jeo sa-ra-meul jal a-ra-yo
Oh, I know him well.
The moment the face appears, a name tag rises beside it
-
Words arrive and a lamp goes on
네, 알겠습니다.
ne, al-get-sseum-ni-da
Yes, understood.
The other person's words come in the ear and a light clicks on in the head
-
The hand remembers how
이 기계 쓰는 법을 알아요.
i gi-gye sseu-neun beo-beul a-ra-yo
I know how to work this machine.
No hesitation: the hand goes straight to the right button
-
The day the news came in
그 일은 어제 알았어요.
geu i-reun eo-je a-ra-sseo-yo
I only heard about it yesterday.
On yesterday's date, a sheet of news flies into the head and settles
All of it in one picture
alda says the thing already has a seat in your head. A number resting in that seat is knowing a fact; a name tag rising beside a face is knowing a person. A lamp flicking on as words arrive is understanding, a hand moving without hesitation is knowing how, and news that flew in yesterday is when you found out.