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걸다

geol-da

걸다 is hooking one end onto something

The picture A hook slipped onto a nail. Once it catches, the two sides stay linked and hanging together. 걸다 sets the hook onto the nail and leaves the two joined; 풀다 slips the hook back off and separates them again.

Core verbs

Where the picture shows up in 걸다

  1. hang the coat on a hook

    코트는 여기에 거세요.

    ko-teu-neun yeo-gi-e geo-se-yo

    You can hang your coat here.

    A coat hanger's hook is set onto the nail in the wall and the coat hangs there

  2. hook a phone line to them

    제가 이따가 전화 걸게요.

    je-ga i-tta-ga jeon-hwa geol-kke-yo

    I'll give you a call later.

    A line runs out of your phone, catches on the phone at the other end, and the two are linked

    The caller uses 전화를 걸다; the one answering uses 전화를 받다.

  3. hang your name on it

    이 일에 회사 이름을 걸었어요.

    i i-re hoe-sa i-reu-meul geo-reo-sseo-yo

    We've put the company's name on this project.

    A signboard with the company's name on it is hung above this piece of work

  4. hook the engine into life

    시동 걸어 놓고 기다릴게요.

    si-dong geo-reo no-ko gi-da-ril-kke-yo

    I'll start the car and wait.

    You turn the key, the dead engine catches, and it starts turning over

  5. hook words onto someone

    괜히 시비 걸지 마세요.

    gwaen-hi si-bi geol-ji ma-se-yo

    Don't go picking fights.

    Words are thrown out like a hook onto a passer-by's sleeve, snagging them to a stop

    말을 걸다 is striking up a conversation; 시비를 걸다 is picking a quarrel.

All of it in one picture

걸다 hooks one side onto another so the two hang there connected. Hook a coat's loop onto a nail and the coat is hung; hook your phone onto theirs and you are making a call. Hook the company's name onto this project and its reputation is on the line; hook the key into the engine and the car starts; hook words onto a passer-by and you are picking a fight. So wherever 걸다 appears, two things that were separate are now caught together and hanging.

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