TOPIK II · LEVEL 4

-치고

N치고 means 'for a N / considering it is a N', and the result is different from what you would expect of that kind of thing; with a negative ending it means 'no N at all, without exception'.

조사Particles

Han: 치고 needs a result that goes against what is normal for N; cold weather is exactly what winter is expected to be, so 춥다 does not fit.

Examples

이 가방은 명품치고는 가격이 싼 편이에요.For a luxury-brand item, this bag is fairly cheap.
처음 만든 것치고는 정말 맛있네요.For a first attempt, it's really tasty.
외국 사람치고 한국말을 정말 잘하시네요.You speak Korean really well for a foreigner.
아이치고 놀이공원을 싫어하는 아이는 없을 거예요.There's probably no child who dislikes amusement parks.

Don’t mix up

-치고vsN에 비해(서)에 비해 compares with another specific thing; 치고 compares with what is typical of the category N itself: 작년에 비해 따뜻해요 (warmer than last year) vs 겨울치고 따뜻해요 (warm for winter).
-치고vsN답게답게 means the result matches what is expected of N; 치고 means it differs from that expectation: 프로답게 잘했어요 (did well, as a pro should) vs 신인치고 잘했어요 (did well for a newcomer).

How to build it

N+치고(는)
V+는/(으)ㄴ 것치고(는)

초보자 → 초보자치고 잘하네요; 처음 하다 → 처음 하는 것치고는

  1. 치고 attaches directly to a noun with no particle. With a verb, turn it into a noun first: V-는/(으)ㄴ 것치고 (처음 하는 것치고).
  2. In the 'for a N' meaning (often 치고는), the second clause must go against what is typical of N: 겨울치고 따뜻하다 is fine, but 겨울치고 춥다 sounds odd.
  3. In the 'every N without exception' meaning, the sentence usually ends with a negative or a rhetorical question: N치고 ~ 사람은 없다 / ~ 사람이 어디 있어요?

Classic mistake

Wrong: 겨울치고 정말 추워요.

Right: 겨울치고 정말 따뜻해요.

치고 needs a result that goes against what is normal for N; cold weather is exactly what winter is expected to be, so 춥다 does not fit.

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More level 4 grammar

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