TOPIK II · LEVEL 5
-을/를 두고
N을/를 두고 marks the issue that people argue about, debate, worry over or judge, like 'over / concerning N'.
격식 표현Formal & written phrasesHan: A class presentation on a plain topic involves no dispute or judgment, so the neutral 에 대해 is needed; 을/를 두고 implies a debated issue.
Examples
새 정책을 두고 전문가들 사이에서 의견이 엇갈리고 있다.Experts are divided over the new policy.
그 배우의 발언을 두고 인터넷에서 논란이 일고 있다.The actor's remarks are stirring up controversy online.
이직 문제를 두고 한 달 넘게 고민했어요.I agonized over whether to change jobs for more than a month.
형제는 아버지가 남긴 집을 두고 오랫동안 다퉜다.The brothers fought for a long time over the house their father left them.
Don’t mix up
-을/를 두고vsN에 대해(서)에 대해 is a neutral 'about' for any topic; 을/를 두고 suggests an issue with differing views or judgment: 한국 역사에 대해 발표했다 vs 역사 교과서를 두고 논쟁이 벌어졌다.
-을/를 두고vsN을/를 둘러싸고둘러싸고 stresses several parties clashing around a contested issue; 두고 also works for one person's deliberation: 개발 계획을 둘러싸고 주민과 시청이 갈등을 빚고 있다, but 진로를 두고 혼자 고민했다.
-을/를 두고vsN을/를 가지고가지고 is the casual spoken counterpart, often with a complaining tone; 두고 sounds more formal: 별것도 아닌 일을 가지고 싸우지 마.
How to build it
N+을/를 두고 (V/A + -는/(으)ㄴ 것을 두고)
이 문제 → 이 문제를 두고 / 결정 → 결정을 두고 / 그가 한 말 → 그가 한 말을 두고
- It usually goes with verbs of debate, conflict, discussion, hesitation or evaluation (논란이 일다, 의견이 엇갈리다, 다투다, 고민하다). For a neutral 'talk/learn/know about', use 에 대해 instead.
- It is typical of news, formal speech and writing; in casual conversation people more often say 에 대해 or 가지고.
- It attaches to nouns, and a main predicate must follow, so it cannot end a sentence. To use a verb, nominalize it first: 회사를 옮기는 것을 두고.
- With a concrete object it may be read literally as 두다 'leave behind': 가방을 두고 왔어요 = 'I left my bag behind'.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 저는 수업 시간에 한국 음식을 두고 발표했어요.
Right: 저는 수업 시간에 한국 음식에 대해 발표했어요.
A class presentation on a plain topic involves no dispute or judgment, so the neutral 에 대해 is needed; 을/를 두고 implies a debated issue.
Practise -을/를 두고 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)ㅁ에 따라Use -(으)ㅁ에 따라 in formal writing to say that as one situation changes or progresses, another change follows from it.
- -(으)ㅁ으로써-(으)ㅁ으로써 presents the first action as the means or method that brings about the result in the second clause: 'by doing A, B happens'.
- -다 (표제·제목)In headlines, titles, captions and chapter headings, a verb in its bare dictionary form (stem + 다) states an event briefly and impersonally, usually one that has just happened: 'X wins', 'X opens'.
- -에 걸쳐-에 걸쳐 shows that an action or state stretches over a whole span of time, an area, or a series of occasions.
- -에 달려 있다N에 달려 있다 means that the outcome in the subject is decided by N: 'it all depends on N'.
- -에 이르기까지N에 이르기까지 marks the far end of a wide range, stressing that everything from one point all the way to N is included.
- -을/를 계기로N을/를 계기로 means that an event or experience became the turning point that started a new action, decision or change.
- -을/를 비롯해N을/를 비롯해 puts the most important or representative member of a group first and then includes the others: 'including, above all, from N to the rest'.
- -을/를 바탕으로N을/를 바탕으로 means using N as the foundation or source material for creating, developing or judging something.