In Korean, “것, 바, 턱, and 리” are often not difficult because the individual words are unfamiliar. The real problem is that each one seems understandable on its own, yet their differences become hard to explain once they appear inside actual sentences. “먹는 것” can refer either to the act of eating or to something being eaten. “아는 바” looks very similar to “아는 것,” but the tone is noticeably more formal. Then with “그럴 턱이 없다” and “그럴 리가 없다,” both can simply be translated as “there’s no way,” making the distinction almost impossible to see from translation alone.

All four are dependent nouns. They require modifying content before them, and they are written with a space, which is why forms such as “할 것, 아는 바, 알 턱, 그럴 리” appear. A practical way to remember them is to focus on what they do inside the sentence: “것” can nominalize an action or stand in for a thing, “바” often appears in more formal contexts, while “턱” and “리” frequently combine with “없다.” Both can express impossibility, but they approach that impossibility from slightly different angles.

What Are Korean Dependent Nouns? Grammatical Features and Basic Uses of “것, 바, 턱, and 리”

Although Korean dependent nouns are still nouns, they rarely appear independently. They usually need some preceding content to complete their meaning. Forms such as “것이,” “것을,” “바를,” and “리가” can take particles just like ordinary nouns. The main difference is that “것, 바, 턱, and 리” generally also require an adnominal modifier or adnominal form before them. Without that part, the dependent noun alone often does not tell you what the sentence is actually referring to.

“것” is a typical example. By itself, it can only be understood vaguely as “thing” or “matter,” but in “한국어를 배우는 것,” it becomes clear that the sentence refers to “learning Korean.” “리” also rarely conveys a complete meaning on its own. Instead, it commonly appears in fixed combinations such as “그럴 리가 없다” and “잊을 리가 없다.” Even though these words depend on the modifier before them, they still count as separate words in writing. For this reason, there must be a space in “배우는 것,” “아는 바,” “알 턱,” and “그럴 리.”

• Example: 한국어를 배우는 것은 재미있어요.
  Romanization: han-gu-geo-reul bae-u-neun geo-seun jae-mi-it-sseo-yo.
  Translation: Learning Korean is fun.
  “배우는” first specifies what is being discussed, and “것” places the whole expression “learning Korean” into a noun position. This allows “한국어를 배우는 것” to take “은” afterward and become the topic of the sentence.
• Example: 제가 아는 바를 말씀드리겠습니다.
  Romanization: je-ga a-neun ba-reul mal-sseum-deu-ri-ge-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: I will explain what I know.
  In “아는 바,” “바” refers to the information or content that the speaker knows, and it can still take the case particle “를.” This expression is much more formal than the conversational “아는 것” and often appears in explanations, reports, or formal statements.
• Example: 그가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
  Romanization: geu-ga yak-so-geul i-jeul ri-ga eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There is no way he would forget the promise.
  “잊을” modifies “리,” which is then followed by “가 없다.” The sentence does not merely mean “he probably will not forget.” It expresses the judgment that the possibility of him forgetting the promise is highly unlikely to be valid. This is one of the most common uses of “리.”

Korean “것, 바, 턱, and 리” Conjugation Rules: Adnominal Forms and Fixed Patterns

“것” can combine with the widest range of adnominal forms, including present, past, and future content. “바” commonly appears with forms such as “-는,” “-(으)ㄴ,” and “-던,” referring to something previously mentioned, known, done, or felt. “턱” and “리” are especially common after “-(으)ㄹ,” forming “-(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다” and “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다.”

Dependent Noun	Common Connection	Main Function	Common Forms
것	-는／-(으)ㄴ／-(으)ㄹ＋것	Matter, content, thing	하는 것、한 것、할 것
바	-는／-(으)ㄴ／-던＋바	What is known, done, or mentioned	아는 바、느낀 바、설명한 바
턱	-(으)ㄹ＋턱이 없다	No reason or basis for something to be so	알 턱이 없다、그럴 턱이 없다
리	-(으)ㄹ＋리＋있다／없다 etc.	No reason or logic for something, leading to impossibility	올 리가 없다、그럴 리가 없다

In dictionaries, “리” is described as combining after “-을” with forms such as “있다” and “없다” to mean “reason” or “logic.” “턱” likewise often appears after “-을” with “없다” and refers to a reason or basis for something to be expected. Their dictionary meanings are therefore quite close, and the difference in actual nuance mainly comes from fixed combinations and usage tendencies.

“것” Usage｜Putting Actions, States, or Things into a Noun Position

“것” has an extremely wide range of uses. It can follow an action or state, or it can stand in for an object already understood from context. This means that the same “것” does not always translate as “thing” or “matter.” “책을 읽는 것” refers to the act of reading, while “어제 산 것” usually refers to the thing that was bought yesterday. In everyday speech, “것” is also frequently shortened to “거,” and forms such as “게, 걸, 건” appear when particles are attached.

Verbs describing present or habitual actions commonly use “-는 것.” Completed actions often use “-(으)ㄴ 것,” while planned or unrealized actions commonly use “-(으)ㄹ 것.” Adjectives can also modify “것” after being changed into an adnominal form. For this reason, it is usually more useful to look at the modifying content before “것” than to first search for a fixed translation of “것.”

• Example: 매일 책을 읽는 것이 습관이 되었어요.
  Romanization: mae-il chae-geul il-neun geo-si seup-gwa-ni doe-eo-sseo-yo.
  Translation: Reading every day has become a habit.
  “책을 읽는 것” places the action “reading books” as a whole into a noun position, allowing it to take “이” and become the subject of the sentence.
• Example: 어제 산 것을 아직 못 입어 봤어요.
  Romanization: eo-je san geo-seul a-jik mot i-beo bwat-sseo-yo.
  Translation: I still haven’t tried on what I bought yesterday.
  Here, “산 것” refers to the thing that was bought, not the act of buying. The later verb “입어 봤어요” also shows that the referent is probably a concrete object such as clothing.
• Example: 여행에 갈 때 필요한 것을 미리 준비했어요.
  Romanization: yeo-haeng-e gal ttae pil-yo-han geo-seul mi-ri jun-bi-hae-sseo-yo.
  Translation: I prepared the things I would need for the trip in advance.
  “필요한 것” does not specify one particular item and can broadly refer to whatever is needed for traveling. After taking “을,” it becomes the object of “준비했어요.”

“바” Usage｜Formally Referring to What Is Known, Done, or Mentioned

“바” can also refer to the preceding matter or content, but the situations in which it appears are very different from those of “것.” Expressions such as “아는 바,” “느낀 바,” and “검토한 바” are common in reports, explanations, speeches, and formal writing, but less common in everyday conversation. So when “바” appears, it usually does not simply replace an object. Instead, it tends to refer to content such as what someone knows, has done, has felt, or has mentioned.

For this reason, “바” cannot simply be treated as a more formal version of “것.” “어제 산 것” can refer to clothes or another item bought yesterday, but you cannot replace it with “어제 산 바” just to make the sentence sound more formal. The two overlap in some contexts, but their ranges of substitution are not the same.

• Example: 제가 아는 바를 말씀드리겠습니다.
  Romanization: je-ga a-neun ba-reul mal-sseum-deu-ri-ge-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: I will explain what I know.
  “아는 바” refers to what is currently known and sounds very natural in a formal explanation. In ordinary conversation, there is usually no need to use such a formal expression.
• Example: 이번 경험을 통해 느낀 바가 많습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon gyeong-heo-meul tong-hae neu-kkin ba-ga man-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: I learned and felt a great deal through this experience.
  “느낀 바” refers to the thoughts or impressions gained from the experience. This expression commonly appears in reflections, speeches, or relatively formal writing.
• Example: 이 문제는 이미 여러 차례 검토한 바 있습니다.
  Romanization: i mun-je-neun i-mi yeo-reo cha-rye geom-to-han ba it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: This issue has already been reviewed several times.
  “검토한 바 있다” states as a fact that the issue has been reviewed in the past. It sounds much more formal than simply saying “검토했어요,” which is why it often appears in work documents or formal explanations.

“턱” Usage｜Expressing That Something Is Simply Impossible Under the Circumstances

“턱” commonly follows “-(으)ㄹ” and combines with “없다” to form “-(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다.” Here, “턱” carries the meaning of “reason” or “basis.” The sentence therefore does not merely speculate that something is unlikely. Instead, it says that the current conditions simply do not provide enough basis for that result to happen. Depending on context, it can be translated as “there’s no way,” “that can’t possibly happen,” or “under these conditions, that’s impossible.”

This expression often carries a fairly strong rebuttal. For example, if the necessary materials have not even arrived yet and someone asks whether everything can be finished today, answering “끝낼 턱이 없다” sounds like directly rejecting the idea on the basis of reality.

• Example: 그가 그 사실을 알 턱이 없어요.
  Romanization: geu-ga geu sa-si-reul al teo-gi eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There’s no way he could know that fact.
  The sentence suggests that there is simply no reason or channel through which he could have learned it, adding a stronger judgment than merely guessing that he does not know.
• Example: 하루 만에 이 일을 다 끝낼 턱이 없어요.
  Romanization: ha-ru ma-ne i i-reul da kkeun-nael teo-gi eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There’s no way this can all be finished in one day.
  When the amount of work clearly does not match the available time, “끝낼 턱이 없다” sounds very natural and carries the sense of “how could anyone possibly finish it under these conditions?”
• Example: 그렇게 비싼 물건이 금방 다 팔릴 턱이 없다고 생각했어요.
  Romanization: geu-reo-ke bi-ssan mul-geo-ni geum-bang da pal-lil teo-gi eop-da-go saeng-gak-hae-sseo-yo.
  Translation: I thought there was no way such an expensive product would sell out that quickly.
  The speaker uses the price as the basis for the judgment and therefore originally believed the item would not sell out so fast. “턱이 없다” makes that judgment sound more direct.

“리” Usage｜Directly Ruling Out the Possibility That Something Is True

“리” also carries the meaning of “reason” or “logic,” and its most common form is “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다.” The sentence generally means that, based on what is currently known, a certain possibility cannot reasonably be true. Whether the basis is someone’s personality, time, distance, or existing information, “리가 없다” is commonly used whenever there is enough reason to reject a possibility.

Compared with “턱이 없다,” “리가 없다” has a broader range in ordinary conversation and does not necessarily carry a strong tone of rebuttal. Sometimes it simply expresses a judgment based on known information. For example, if someone who is never late suddenly fails to appear, you might say “잊을 리가 없는데,” meaning that based on what you know about the person, it is hard to believe they really forgot.

• Example: 그가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
  Romanization: geu-ga yak-so-geul i-jeul ri-ga eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There is no way he would forget the promise.
  Based on what the speaker normally knows about this person, forgetting the promise seems highly unlikely, so “잊을 리가 없다” is used.
• Example: 지금 출발해서 제시간에 도착할 리가 없어요.
  Romanization: ji-geum chul-bal-hae-seo je-si-ga-ne do-chak-hal ri-ga eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There’s no way you can leave now and still arrive on time.
  The current time and the required travel distance make an on-time arrival unreasonable, so “리가 없다” directly rules out that possibility.
• Example: 아무 이유 없이 갑자기 회사를 그만둘 리가 없어요.
  Romanization: a-mu i-yu eop-si gap-ja-gi hoe-sa-reul geu-man-dul ri-ga eop-sseo-yo.
  Translation: There’s no way someone would suddenly quit their job for absolutely no reason.
  The speaker does not necessarily know the actual reason. Instead, based on ordinary expectations, they judge that suddenly quitting a job is unlikely to happen for no reason at all.

What’s the Difference Between Korean “것, 바, 턱, and 리”? Register, Function, and Usage Compared

All four dependent nouns require modifying content before them, but their actual functions differ greatly. “것” handles ordinary nominalization and can stand in for things. “바” mainly refers to content in formal writing. “턱” and “리” can both appear in strong negative expressions, and both have dictionary meanings related to “reason” or “logic,” so they should not be forced into two completely separate grammatical categories.

Comparison	“것”	“바”	“턱”	“리”
Main function	Matter, content, object	What is known, done, or mentioned	Reason, basis	Reason, logic
Common register	Extremely common in speech and writing	More common in formal writing	Used in speech and narration	Common in both speech and writing
Common structure	하는 것、한 것、할 것	아는 바、느낀 바	-(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다	-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다
Can refer to concrete objects?	Yes	Usually no	No	No
Negative nuance	No fixed negative meaning	No fixed negative meaning	Often strong rebuttal	Often strong impossibility
Basic spacing	하는 것	아는 바	그럴 턱	그럴 리

▌“것” Sometimes Means a “Matter,” but Sometimes It Actually Refers to a “Thing”

If you automatically translate every “것” as “matter” or “the act of…,” you will quickly run into problems. It can indeed nominalize an entire action, as in “운동하는 것,” meaning “exercising.” But in “어제 산 것,” it usually refers not to “the act of buying yesterday” but to some object that was bought yesterday.

❌ Inaccurate: 어제 산 것＝the act of buying yesterday
✅ Natural: 어제 산 것＝the thing bought yesterday

In sentences like these, there is no need to rush to assign one fixed English translation to “것.” Looking at the verb that follows is often faster. In “어제 산 것을 입었어요,” the verb “wear” makes it natural to interpret “것” as clothing. If the following verb were “먹었어요,” it would instead refer to something edible. Korean often leaves clothing, food, and other objects under the broad category of “것” rather than switching to different words.

▌“바” Has a Formal Tone, but You Cannot Simply Replace “것” with It

“바” and “것” do overlap in some contexts. “아는 바” can mean what someone knows, while “느낀 바” refers to what someone felt. These expressions commonly appear in reports, speeches, explanations, and relatively formal writing, so they sound noticeably more formal than the ordinary conversational “것.”

The problem is that “바” cannot replace every “것” simply because it sounds more formal.

❌ Unnatural: 어제 산 바를 입었어요.
✅ Natural: 어제 산 것을 입었어요.

“어제 산 것” refers to a concrete object that was purchased, so “바” is not appropriate. “바” is more commonly found in combinations such as “아는 바, 느낀 바, 설명한 바, 검토한 바,” where it refers to content that was known, experienced, mentioned, or handled. When both “것” and “바” could be translated as “what” or “the matter,” the real question is not the English translation but whether the preceding content refers to a concrete object or to more abstract information.

▌Both “턱이 없다” and “리가 없다” Can Mean “Impossible”—The Difference Is Not in the Translation

“그럴 턱이 없다” and “그럴 리가 없다” can both be translated as “there’s no way” or “that’s impossible.” Since both “턱” and “리” themselves carry meanings related to “reason” or “logic,” it is difficult to separate them with a simple formula such as “턱＝reason” and “리＝possibility.”

The difference becomes easier to feel when the two are placed side by side.

• 그가 그 사실을 알 턱이 없다.
  There’s no way he could know that fact.
  This sentence more easily makes you imagine a concrete premise, such as the person never having had access to the relevant information and nobody having told them. The speaker therefore thinks, “Given these circumstances, how could he possibly know?”
• 그가 그 사실을 알 리가 없다.
  There is no way he knows that fact.
  This sentence more directly rules out the possibility that he knows. The basis may come from what the speaker normally knows about the person or from existing information, without necessarily highlighting one specific real-world condition.

The two patterns overlap considerably, and many sentences remain grammatical if one is replaced with the other. The main difference lies in the angle from which the speaker is judging the situation. Rather than memorizing a separate English translation for each, it is more useful to notice whether there is a very clear condition supporting the judgment “how could that possibly happen?”

▌“리가 없다” Is Common for General Impossibility, While “턱이 없다” Often Appears When Directly Rejecting Something Based on Conditions

“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” is very common in ordinary conversation whenever the speaker wants to say that something is unlikely to be true based on what they currently know. “-(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다,” by contrast, is more likely to appear when the conditions clearly do not match the proposed outcome, causing the speaker to reject it directly.

✅ 민수 씨가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
There is no way Minsu would forget the promise.
The speaker may know that Minsu is normally very reliable and therefore finds it difficult to believe that he would forget.

✅ 하루 만에 이 일을 끝낼 턱이 없어요.
There’s no way this can be finished in one day.
The amount of work is already obvious, and the condition of having only one day is clearly insufficient. “턱이 없다” therefore carries a stronger feeling of “there is simply no way this makes sense.”

Changing the second sentence to “끝낼 리가 없어요” would not be grammatically wrong, but the original sense of directly rebutting the idea based on the mismatch between time and workload would become weaker. There is no absolute boundary that the two can never cross. The difference more often lies in what kind of basis the speaker is using for the judgment.

How Do You Space Korean Dependent Nouns? “할 것, 아는 바, 알 턱, 그럴 리” Are All Written Separately

Although “것, 바, 턱, and 리” depend on the preceding modifier to complete their meaning, they still count as separate words in writing. For this reason, a space is required between the adnominal modifier and the dependent noun. This rule can feel counterintuitive because the expressions sound tightly connected in speech, making them easy to understand while reading but easy to write incorrectly.

✅ 먹는 것
❌ 먹는것

✅ 아는 바
❌ 아는바

✅ 알 턱이 없다
❌ 알턱이 없다

✅ 그럴 리가 없다
❌ 그럴리가 없다

It is useful to memorize the spacing together with the common combinations themselves. “하는 것, 아는 바, 알 턱, 그럴 리” are not single grammatical endings. After the modifying part ends, you leave a space before the dependent noun.

▌“바” Is Sometimes Spaced and Sometimes Attached: First Check Whether It Is a Noun

The tricky part about “바” is that Korean has both the dependent noun “바” and connective endings such as “-는바／-ㄴ바.” The two look very similar, but their spacing is exactly opposite: the dependent noun is written separately, while the connective ending attaches directly to the preceding word.

Dependent noun:

제가 아는 바를 말씀드리겠습니다.
I will explain what I know.
Here, “바” refers to “what is known.” It can also take “를,” and “아는 바” can roughly be understood in a similar way to “아는 것,” so it is written as two separate words.

Connective ending:

현재 상황이 매우 심각한바, 즉각적인 조치가 필요합니다.
The current situation is extremely serious, so immediate action is necessary.
Here, “-ㄴ바” does not refer to a “matter” or “content.” Instead, it directly connects the two clauses, so it is attached to “심각한.”

When you encounter “바,” you can first check whether it is followed by particles such as “가, 를, 와.” You can also test whether replacing it with “것” still preserves the basic meaning. If it is functioning as a noun, it will generally be spaced. If its job is to connect two clauses, it is more likely to be a connective ending and should be written together.

How Are Korean “것, 바, 턱, and 리” Actually Used? Examples from Conversation, Work, and Formal Situations

The four dependent nouns appear in very different situations. “것” appears almost everywhere and is commonly shortened to “거, 걸, 건” in conversation. “바” is more likely to appear in work, reports, or formal explanations. “리가 없다” is very natural for saying that something is impossible, while “턱이 없다” often appears when the conditions clearly do not support a proposed outcome and the speaker directly rejects it.

▌Situation ①｜Using “것” to Talk About Things You Like Doing

A：요즘 주말에 뭐 하는 걸 좋아해요?
　　yo-jeum ju-ma-re mwo ha-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo?
　　What do you like doing on weekends these days?

B：집에서 영화 보는 걸 좋아해요.
　　ji-be-seo yeong-hwa bo-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo.
　　I like watching movies at home.

📌 Grammar Point: “영화 보는 것” places the entire action “watching movies” into a noun position, which can then combine with “좋아하다” to express liking that activity. In actual conversation, “것을” is very often shortened to “걸,” so “영화 보는 걸 좋아해요” sounds more conversational than “영화 보는 것을 좋아해요.”

▌Situation ②｜Using “바” in a Meeting to Explain Something Previously Reviewed

A：이 문제는 전에 검토한 적이 있습니까?
　　i mun-je-neun jeo-ne geom-to-han jeo-gi it-seum-ni-kka?
　　Has this issue been reviewed before?

B：네, 이미 여러 차례 검토한 바 있습니다.
　　ne, i-mi yeo-reo cha-rye geom-to-han ba it-seum-ni-da.
　　Yes, it has already been reviewed several times.

📌 Grammar Point: “검토한 바 있습니다” presents the fact that the issue has previously been reviewed as an established fact. This makes it well suited to meetings, reports, and formal documents. In ordinary conversation, there is usually no need to sound this formal; simply saying “전에 몇 번 검토했어요” would be natural.

▌Situation ③｜Using “리가 없다” to Rule Out a Possibility Based on Knowing Someone Well

A：민수 씨가 약속을 잊은 거 아닐까요?
　　min-su ssi-ga yak-so-geul i-jeun geo a-nil-kka-yo?
　　Could Minsu have forgotten the promise?

B：민수 씨가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
　　min-su ssi-ga yak-so-geul i-jeul ri-ga eop-sseo-yo.
　　There’s no way Minsu would forget the promise.

📌 Grammar Point: The speaker has not confirmed that Minsu did not forget. Instead, based on what they normally know about him, they judge that forgetting the promise is unlikely. “리가 없다” commonly appears in judgments based on personality, common sense, or known information.

▌Situation ④｜Using “턱이 없다” to Directly Reject an Outcome When the Conditions Are Clearly Insufficient

A：오늘 안에 이 보고서를 전부 끝낼 수 있을까요?
　　o-neul a-ne i bo-go-seo-reul jeon-bu kkeun-nael su i-sseul-kka-yo?
　　Can we finish this entire report today?

B：자료도 아직 안 왔는데 오늘 끝낼 턱이 없죠.
　　ja-ryo-do a-jik an wat-neun-de o-neul kkeun-nael teo-gi eop-jyo.
　　The materials haven’t even arrived yet. There’s no way we can finish it today.

📌 Grammar Point: The fact that the materials have not arrived is a very clear real-world condition. Saying “끝낼 턱이 없다” in this situation carries the direct rebuttal: “The basic requirements are not even in place, so how could we possibly finish it today?” The tone is stronger than simply saying that completion is unlikely.

How Do Korean “것, 바, 턱, and 리” Compare with Japanese “こと／もの／はず／わけ”?

Korean “것” overlaps considerably with Japanese “こと／もの.” When “운동하는 것” refers to an activity, it is close to Japanese “運動すること.” When “어제 산 것” refers to a concrete item, it is closer to “昨日買ったもの.” A single Korean “것” therefore covers a broader range than either Japanese “こと” or “もの” alone.

Depending on context, “바” may correspond to different Japanese expressions such as “こと,” “ところ,” or “内容,” so it is difficult to assign a single fixed equivalent. “리가 없다” can often be compared with Japanese “〜はずがない” and “〜わけがない.” “턱이 없다” also frequently approaches the strongly rebuttal-like “〜わけがない.” However, there is no perfect one-to-one correspondence between Korean and Japanese, so the actual sentence still needs to be interpreted according to what possibility is being rejected.

◆ Similar Grammar ①: Japanese “こと／もの”

Japanese “こと” mainly nominalizes abstract matters or actions, while “もの” more readily refers to concrete objects. Korean “것” can cover both functions.

• Example: 韓国語を勉強することは楽しいです。
  Kana: かんこくごをべんきょうすることはたのしいです。
  Translation: Studying Korean is fun.
  Japanese “勉強すること” and Korean “공부하는 것” both place the entire activity of studying into a noun position.
• Example: 毎朝散歩することが習慣になりました。
  Kana: まいあささんぽすることがしゅうかんになりました。
  Translation: Taking a walk every morning has become a habit.
  “散歩すること” refers to the activity of walking. In Korean, “매일 아침 산책하는 것” can express a similar meaning.
• Example: 昨日買ったものをまだ使っていません。
  Kana: きのうかったものをまだつかっていません。
  Translation: I haven’t used the thing I bought yesterday yet.
  Here, “もの” refers not to an abstract matter but to a concrete object purchased yesterday. Korean can still simply use “어제 산 것.”

◆ Similar Grammar ②: Japanese “〜はずがない”

Japanese “〜はずがない” judges something to be impossible based on known information, common sense, or prior expectations, making it quite close to Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다.”

• Example: 彼が約束を忘れるはずがありません。
  Kana: かれがやくそくをわすれるはずがありません。
  Translation: There is no way he would forget the promise.
  Based on what the speaker normally knows about this person, forgetting the promise seems unlikely. This judgment is very close to Korean “그가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.”
• Example: 今から出発して、時間どおりに着けるはずがありません。
  Kana: いまからしゅっぱつして、じかんどおりにつけるはずがありません。
  Translation: There is no way you can leave now and arrive on time.
  The current time does not match the required travel time, so the possibility of arriving on time is rejected. Korean can similarly say “지금 출발해서 제시간에 도착할 리가 없어요.”
• Example: 毎日練習している彼が、こんな簡単な問題を間違えるはずがありません。
  Kana: まいにちれんしゅうしているかれが、こんなかんたんなもんだいをまちがえるはずがありません。
  Translation: There is no way someone who practices every day would get such an easy question wrong.
  The fact that he practices every day serves as the basis for the judgment, so the speaker considers the possibility of him making the mistake very low. Korean can use “틀릴 리가 없다” to express a similar idea.

◆ Similar Grammar ③: Japanese “〜わけがない”

Japanese “〜わけがない” also expresses strong negation, and “わけ” itself carries the meaning of “reason” or “logic.” For sentences meaning “given these conditions, how could that possibly happen?”, it can often be compared with Korean “-(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다.”

• Example: こんな量の仕事を一日で終えられるわけがありません。
  Kana: こんなりょうのしごとをいちにちでおえられるわけがありません。
  Translation: There is no way this much work can be finished in one day.
  There is too much work and only one day available, so the speaker directly judges completion to be impossible based on the real-world conditions. This is very close to Korean “하루 만에 이 일을 다 끝낼 턱이 없어요.”
• Example: そんな高い商品がすぐに全部売れるわけがない。
  Kana: そんなたかいしょうひんがすぐにぜんぶうれるわけがない。
  Translation: There is no way such an expensive product would sell out immediately.
  The price becomes the speaker’s direct basis for judgment, so “わけがない” clearly carries the sense of “given these conditions, that cannot happen.” This is close to Korean “팔릴 턱이 없다.”
• Example: まだ資料も届いていないのに、今日中に報告書を完成できるわけがありません。
  Kana: まだしりょうもとどいていないのに、きょうじゅうにほうこくしょをかんせいできるわけがありません。
  Translation: The materials haven’t even arrived yet, so there is no way the report can be finished today.
  “The materials have not arrived” is an explicit real-world condition, so completing the report is directly ruled out. Korean can express a very similar nuance with “자료도 아직 안 왔는데 오늘 보고서를 완성할 턱이 없어요.”

The key to distinguishing Korean dependent nouns “것, 바, 턱, and 리” is not memorizing four separate translations but understanding what each one does inside the sentence. “것” places matters, actions, and objects into noun positions. “바” refers to what is known, done, or mentioned in more formal writing. “턱” and “리” are both related to reason and logic, but “턱이 없다” more often carries the explicit sense of “given these conditions, there is simply no way,” while “리가 없다” is broadly used to rule out the possibility that something is true.

There is also one spelling rule to remember: dependent nouns are generally written separately from the modifier before them. Therefore, the correct forms are “하는 것, 아는 바, 알 턱, 그럴 리.” “바” requires special attention because it can also appear as the connective ending “-는바.” If “바” can take a particle afterward and has a noun-like meaning similar to “것,” it is usually written separately. If it is functioning as a connector between clauses, it may be a grammatical ending and should be attached.

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