Level 2

보이다

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Meaning and Usage

The verb '보이다' primarily means 'to be seen' or 'to appear as something.' It is often used to describe how something looks to the observer, either physically visible or seeming to have a certain quality.

Common Contexts

  1. Physical visibility: describing whether something can be seen clearly or not.
  2. Appearance or impression: expressing how someone or something seems or appears to others.
  3. Visual perspective: how an object or scene looks from a particular viewpoint.

Collocations and Patterns

  • '잘 보이다' (to be clearly visible): used when something is easy to see.
  • '~처럼 보이다' (to look like ~): used to express resemblance or impression.
  • '멀리서 보이다' (to be seen from far away): describing visibility over distance.

Register and Politeness

'보이다' is a standard verb used in polite speech (e.g., '보여요'). It is neutral in formality and common in everyday conversation.

Common Learner Mistake

Learners sometimes confuse '보이다' with '보다' (to see). Remember, '보다' is the action of seeing, while '보이다' describes how something appears or is visible to the observer.

Example Sentences

저 산이 멀리서도 잘 보여요.

Jeo sani meolliseodo jal boyeoyo.

That mountain is clearly visible even from far away.

그 사람은 항상 자신감 있어 보여요.

Geu sarameun hangsang jasinkam isseo boyeoyo.

That person always appears confident.

이 그림은 멀리서 보면 다른 모양으로 보여요.

I geurimeun meolliseo bomyeon dareun moyangeuro boyeoyo.

This painting looks different when seen from a distance.