Meaning and Usage
The adjective '멀다' means 'to be far' or 'distant' in terms of physical space or metaphorical distance. It is commonly used to describe locations, distances between places, or abstract concepts like goals or relationships.
Common Contexts
You will often hear '멀다' when talking about how far something is from a reference point, such as a home, school, or workplace. It can also express emotional or conceptual distance, like feeling that a goal is far away.
Collocations and Patterns
- '멀다 + 에서' (e.g., '집에서 멀다'): to indicate distance from a place.
- '너무 멀다': to emphasize that something is very far.
- '멀리서': an adverb meaning 'from far away'.
Register and Politeness
'멀다' is a neutral adjective and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The polite form is '멀어요'.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '멀다' with '가깝다' (to be close). Remember, '멀다' always indicates distance, not proximity.
Use '멀다' to clearly express distance in everyday conversation or writing.