기둥서방

Korean

Etymology

기둥 (gidung, “pillar, column (of a building)”) +‎ 서방(書房) (seobang, “husband, man”). Perhaps because a pimp watches out for the prostitute from a safe distance, i.e. leaning on a pillar?

Pronunciation

  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [kiduŋsʰʌ̹ba̠ŋ]
  • Phonetic hangul: [기둥서방]
Romanizations
Revised Romanization?gidungseobang
Revised Romanization (translit.)?gidungseobang
McCune–Reischauer?kidungsŏbang
Yale Romanization?kitwungsepang

Noun

기둥서방 • (gidungseobang) (hanja 기둥書房)

  1. (colloquial) pimp, hustler (procurer of prostitutes)
    Synonyms: 포주(抱主) (poju), 기부(妓夫) (gibu)
  2. (colloquial) unemployed man whose wife is the breadwinner
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