TOPIK II · LEVEL 4
-마저
-마저 means 'even (the last remaining one)': on top of other bad things, even this.
조사ParticlesHan: In a purely positive list use 도; 마저 carries a 'things getting worse' feeling.
Examples
가장 친한 친구마저 내 말을 믿지 않았어요.Even my best friend didn't believe me.
비가 오는데 바람마저 세게 불어요.It's raining, and on top of that even the wind is blowing hard.
마지막 희망마저 사라졌다.Even the last hope disappeared.
Don’t mix up
-마저vs-조차조차 = 'even (the most basic thing)', often with negatives; 마저 = 'even the last one left', piling on: 이름조차 몰라요 vs 너마저 떠나니?How to build it
N+마저
친구 → 친구마저, 너 → 너마저
- Usually in negative or unfortunate situations.
- Replaces 이/가, 을/를; can combine with other particles: 에게마저.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 날씨가 좋고 경치마저 아름다워요.
Right: 날씨가 좋고 경치도 아름다워요.
In a purely positive list use 도; 마저 carries a 'things getting worse' feeling.
Practise -마저 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)로서-(으)로서 means 'as (in the role or capacity of)'.
- -(이)나마(이)나마 marks something as small or not quite enough, while showing that the speaker still accepts or values it: "even if it's only this, at least…"
- -(으)로부터-(으)로부터 is a formal 'from' for a source or starting point (people, places, time).
- -(이)라든지-(이)라든지 lists examples or alternatives: 'such as A or B / A, B or something'.
- -은/는 물론이고N은/는 물론이고 means 'not to mention N / N, of course, and also …'.
- -조차-조차 means 'even (something so basic)', stressing that not even the minimum happened.
- -치고N치고 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'.
- N만 하다N만 하다 compares size or degree: 'as big as N / about the size of N'.
- -(으)나-(으)나 is a formal written 'but / however', linking two contrasting clauses.