맥

맥 U+B9E5, 맥 HANGUL SYLLABLE MAEG Composition: ㅁ + ㅐ + ㄱ ← 매 [U+B9E4] Hangul Syllables 맦 → [U+B9E6]

Korean

매맥맦맧맨맩맪 맫맬맭맮맯맰맱 맲맳맴맵맶맷맸 맹맺맻맼맽맾맿
마 ←	→ 먀

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [mɛk̚] ~ [me̞k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [맥/멕]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	maek
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	maeg
McCune–Reischauer?	maek
Yale Romanization?	mayk

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 脈 (“vein”).

Noun

맥 • (maek) (hanja 脈)

1. (medicine) blood vein

   Synonym: 혈맥(血脈) (hyeolmaek)

2. (medicine) pulse

   Synonym: 맥박(脈搏) (maekbak)

3. (by extension) personal energy

   Synonyms: 기(氣) (gi), 기운 (giun)

   맥이 빠지는 이야기 ― maegi ppajineun iyagi ― tedious story; draining story

4. (by extension, board games) strategically crucial area of the board

   Synonym: 맥점(脈點) (maekjeom)

5. (by extension) context

   Synonym: 맥락(脈絡) (maengnak)

6. something resembling a blood vessel-like network:
   1. (geology) mineral vein

      Synonym: 광맥(鑛脈) (gwangmaek)

   2. (feng shui) flow of geomantic power through mountain ranges
   3. (botany) vein of a leaf

      Synonyms: 잎맥 (immaek), 엽맥(葉脈) (yeommaek)

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 脈 for Sino-Korean compounds of 맥 (脈, maek).

• 맥도 모르다 (maekdo moreuda, “to have no idea what's going on”)
• 맥을 놓다 (maegeul nota, “become absent-minded”)
• 맥을 못 추다 (maegeul mot chuda, “to lose one's nerve”)
• 맥을 받다 (maegeul batda, “check someone's pulse”)
• 맥을 보다 (maegeul boda, “check someone's pulse”)
• 맥을 쓰다 (maegeul sseuda, “to use one's pulse”)
• 맥을 잃다 (maegeul ilta, “to lose one's pulse”)
• 맥을 짚다 (maegeul jipda, “check someone's pulse”)
• 맥을 추다 (maegeul chuda, “racing pulse”)

 

Etymology 2

말레이맥 (mallei-maek, “Malayan tapir”)

Sino-Korean word from 貘 (“mythical beast”). Compare Mandarin 貘 (mò, “tapir”), Japanese 獏(ばく) (baku, “tapir”).

Noun

맥 • (maek) (hanja 貘)

1. tapir (animal)

   Synonyms: 테이퍼 (teipeo), 타피르 (tapireu)

2. (original meaning) a mythological beast somewhat resembling a tapir

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 貊 (“ancient tribe”).

Proper noun

맥 • (Maek) (hanja 貊)

1. the Maek, an ancient Korean tribe

   Hypernym: 예맥(濊貊) (Yemaek)

Etymology 4

From English Mac.

Proper noun

맥 • (Maek)

1. (computing) Mac

   맥용 ― Maeg-yong ― for Macs

Etymology 5

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

맥 • (maek)

More information

1. 脈: pulse; vein

   (eumhun reading: 맥 맥 (maek maek))
   (MC reading: 脈 (MC meak))

2. 麥: barley

   (eumhun reading: 보리 맥 (bori maek))
   (MC reading: 麥 (MC meak))

3. 貊: name of an ancient people

   (eumhun reading: 나라 이름 맥 (nara ireum maek))
   (MC reading: 貊 (MC maek))

4. 驀: horseriding

   (eumhun reading: 말 탈 맥 (mal tal maek))
   (MC reading: 驀 (MC maek))

5. 陌: footpaths

   (eumhun reading: 두렁 맥 (dureong maek))
   (MC reading: 陌 (MC maek))