TOPIK II · LEVEL 5
-에 그치다
N + 에 그치다 says that a result or level stopped at N and went no further, usually less than hoped for.
정도·비교Degree & comparisonHan: 그치다 means a result fell short, so it clashes with a figure that doubled the goal; 달하다 neutrally says the result reached that level.
Examples
그는 사과에 그치지 않고 피해자들에게 직접 보상까지 했다.He did not stop at an apology; he even compensated the victims himself.
정부의 대책은 일시적인 지원에 그쳐 근본적인 해결책이 되지 못했다.The government's measures did not go beyond temporary support, so they failed to become a fundamental solution.
이번 시험에 합격한 사람은 지원자의 10%에 그쳤다.Only 10% of the applicants passed this exam.
올해 경제 성장률은 1.5%에 그쳤다.This year's economic growth rate was only 1.5%.
Don’t mix up
-에 그치다vsN에 불과하다불과하다 judges something as 'merely N', including a person's status (그는 아직 학생에 불과하다); 그치다 reports a result that stopped at a level (참가자는 20명에 그쳤다).
-에 그치다vsN에 머무르다머무르다 neutrally describes staying at a position or level, often over time (순위가 3위에 머물렀다); 그치다 stresses that it ended there without going further.
How to build it
N+에 그치다 (for actions: V + 는 데 그치다)
30% → 30%에 그쳤다 / 사과하다 → 사과하는 데 그쳤다
- It implies falling short, so it fits small or disappointing results; for a high result that exceeds a goal use 달하다 or 이르다 instead.
- The noun is usually a figure, amount, level or type of action (1.5%, 사과, 일시적인 지원), not a person's identity or status.
- It is mostly used in written or news style, usually in the past tense (그쳤다) because it reports a final result.
- The negative form N에 그치지 않고 means 'not stopping at N but going further'.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 판매량이 목표의 200%에 그쳤다.
Right: 판매량이 목표의 200%에 달했다.
그치다 means a result fell short, so it clashes with a figure that doubled the goal; 달하다 neutrally says the result reached that level.
Practise -에 그치다 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)ㄴ/는 것이나 다름없다It says that something is not literally X, but in practice it is just the same as X.
- -기 나름이다The result is not fixed; it depends on how someone does the action or looks at things.
- -에 불과하다N에 불과하다 says that something is only N and no more, and stresses that it is small, unimportant or less than expected.
- -(이)란N(이)란 picks out a concept that you are about to define or explain the essence of: "N is (by its nature)…", "what we call N is…".
- -(으)ㄹ 게 뻔하다Use -(으)ㄹ 게 뻔하다 when the situation makes it plain to you that something, usually something bad, will happen or has happened.
- -(으)ㄴ 끝에Shows that a result was finally reached after a long or difficult process of doing something.
- -(으)ㄹ 망정-(으)ㄹ망정 means 'even if I have to accept this bad situation, I still won't give up something more important,' or 'although X is true, Y still holds.'
- -(으)ㄹ 즈음-(으)ㄹ 즈음 means "around the time when something happens": it marks an approximate time, not an exact moment.
- -(으)ㄹ 테다Declares the speaker's firm will or determination: 'I will … (no matter what)'. In a question to the listener it asks about their intention, often bluntly. Plain style: -(으)ㄹ 테야 in speech, -(으)ㄹ 테다 in self-talk and narration.