Meaning and Usage
The adverb '무려' is used to emphasize a surprisingly large number or amount, often exceeding expectations. It translates roughly as 'as many as' or 'no less than' in English. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Korean to highlight impressive quantities or durations.
Common Contexts
You will often see '무려' used with numbers, such as time durations, quantities of people, or amounts of money, to stress that the figure is notably large. For example, "무려 100명" means "as many as 100 people."
Collocations and Patterns
- 무려 + number + (명/시간/개 등): emphasizes the large quantity or duration.
- 무려 세 시간이나: stresses the length of time, often with '이나' to add emphasis.
Register and Nuance
'무려' is neutral in formality and can be used in casual and formal contexts. It conveys a sense of surprise or admiration about the size or extent of something.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse '무려' with '겨우' (barely, only), which has the opposite meaning. Remember, '무려' emphasizes a large amount, while '겨우' emphasizes a small or insufficient amount.