Meaning and Usage
The verb '붙다' primarily means 'to stick' or 'to attach' physically, such as a sticker or dust sticking to a surface. It is also commonly used in the context of exams to mean 'to pass' or 'to succeed'.
Common Collocations
- '시험에 붙다': to pass an exam
- '스티커가 붙다': a sticker sticks
- '먼지가 붙다': dust sticks
Usage Notes
When used for passing exams, '붙다' is informal and very common in everyday conversation. For physical attachment, it can describe anything from glue, stickers, to dirt sticking onto surfaces. Be careful not to confuse '붙다' with '붙이다', which is the causative form meaning 'to attach something'.
Register and Politeness
'붙다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but the sentence ending and overall speech level will determine politeness.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse '붙다' (to stick/pass) with '붙이다' (to make something stick). Remember, '붙다' is intransitive (the subject sticks or passes), while '붙이다' is transitive (someone sticks something).