Level 5

온통

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Meaning and Usage

The adverb '온통' means 'wholly' or 'entirely' and is used to emphasize that something covers or fills a space, time, or feeling completely. It often appears in contexts describing emotions, places, or states that are fully occupied or dominated by something.

Common Collocations

  • 온통 걱정하다 (to be wholly worried): used when someone is completely consumed by worry.
  • 온통 웃음으로 가득하다 (to be filled entirely with smiles): describes a face or atmosphere full of smiles.
  • 온통 ~에서 뛰어놀다 (to run and play all over ~): used for children or people moving around everywhere in a place.

Register and Nuance

'온통' is neutral and can be used in both spoken and written Korean. It adds a vivid sense of totality or completeness without formality or informality.

Common Mistake

Learners sometimes confuse '온통' with '전부' or '모두', which also mean 'all' or 'entirely'. However, '온통' emphasizes the sense of being filled or covered completely, often with an emotional or physical nuance, whereas '전부' and '모두' are more general quantifiers.

Example Sentences

그 일 때문에 마음이 온통 걱정으로 가득하다.

Geu il ttaemune maeumi ontong geokjeongeuro gadeukada.

Because of that matter, my heart is entirely filled with worry.

아이들은 온통 놀이터에서 뛰어놀고 있었다.

Aideureun ontong nori-teoeseo ttwieonolgo isseotda.

The children were playing all over the playground.

그의 얼굴은 온통 웃음으로 가득했다.

Geuui eolgureun ontong useumeuro gadeukhaetda.

His face was entirely filled with smiles.