TOPIK II · LEVEL 5
-(이)란
N(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…".
조사ParticlesHan: (이)란 introduces a concept to be defined; to say what a particular person is doing these days, use the ordinary topic marker 은/는.
Examples
친구란 힘들 때 곁에 있어 주는 사람이다.A friend is someone who stays by your side when things are hard.
인생이란 원래 뜻대로 되지 않는 법이다.Life, by its nature, doesn't go the way you want.
행복이란 과연 무엇일까요?What, really, is happiness?
민주주의란 국민이 나라의 주인이 되는 정치 제도를 말한다.Democracy refers to a political system in which the people are the masters of the country.
Don’t mix up
-(이)란vsN은/는은/는 is a neutral topic marker for any statement; (이)란 is chosen when you define the concept itself: 물은 차가워요 vs 물이란 생명의 근원이다.
-(이)란vsN(이)라는 N(이)라는 (or its short form 이란) modifies the next noun, "called X"; definitional (이)란 ends the phrase as a topic: 김민수라는 사람 vs 교사란 학생을 가르치는 사람이다.
-(이)란vsN(이)야말로(이)야말로 stresses that X, above all others, fits the claim; (이)란 explains what X is: 건강이야말로 가장 중요하다 vs 건강이란 몸과 마음이 편안한 상태이다.
How to build it
N (consonant)+이란
N (vowel)+란
사랑 → 사랑이란, 친구 → 친구란
- Use it for general concepts and their definition or essence (사랑, 인생, 교육). For the current state or action of a specific person or thing, use 은/는 instead.
- The predicate usually states a definition or general truth: N이다, -는 것이다, -(으)ㄴ/는 법이다, -을/를 말한다, or a question such as 무엇일까요?
- It is typical of writing, speeches and reflective talk; in light everyday chat it can sound overly serious.
- Don't confuse it with 이란 directly before a noun (김민수란 사람), which is a shortened 이라는 meaning "called, named".
Classic mistake
Wrong: 제 친구란 요즘 많이 바빠요.
Right: 제 친구는 요즘 많이 바빠요.
(이)란 introduces a concept to be defined; to say what a particular person is doing these days, use the ordinary topic marker 은/는.
Practise -(이)란 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)로써-(으)로써 names the means or method by which a result is achieved: 'by (means of) N' or, as -(으)ㅁ으로써, 'by doing'.
- -(이)야말로N(이)야말로 singles out one thing and stresses that it, more than anything else, truly deserves the description.
- -을/를 가지고N을/를 가지고 means 'with N, using N' (tool, material, means) and 'over N, about N' when N is what people quarrel about, criticise or discuss, often something the speaker finds trivial. Spoken; casually shortened to 갖고.
- -따라Attached to a time word such as 오늘 or 그날, it means 'on that day of all days, unusually then': something differs from the usual, often inconveniently.
- -(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.