Meaning and Usage
The adjective '깊다' primarily means 'deep' in a physical sense, such as describing water, holes, or spaces. It can also be used metaphorically to describe abstract concepts like thoughts, feelings, or time.
Common Contexts
- Physical depth: lakes, wells, holes (e.g., '깊은 바다' - deep sea).
- Emotional or intellectual depth: deep thoughts, deep feelings (e.g., '깊은 사랑' - deep love).
- Time or degree: deep night, deep sleep.
Collocations and Patterns
- 깊은 생각 (deep thought): used when someone is seriously thinking.
- 깊은 밤 (deep night): refers to late or very dark night.
- 깊은 바다 (deep sea): physical depth of the ocean.
- 깊게 파다 (to dig deep): often used literally or figuratively.
Register and Politeness
'깊다' is a descriptive adjective used in both formal and informal contexts. It conjugates regularly and is neutral in politeness.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '깊다' with '높다' (high) when describing spaces. Remember '깊다' refers to vertical depth downward, while '높다' refers to height upward.
Use '깊다' when emphasizing how far down or profound something is.