What is the difference between Korean 것, 바, 턱, and 리? These four dependent nouns may look similar because they all require a preceding modifier, but they perform very different functions. 것 is widely used for nominalization and can also stand in for concrete things, 바 often refers to known, stated, or experienced content in formal contexts, and 턱 and 리 frequently appear in expressions of impossibility such as -(으)ㄹ 턱이 없다 and -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다. This guide also explains Korean spacing rules, the difference between dependent noun 바 and the connective ending -는바, and how these forms compare with Japanese こと, もの, はず, and わけ.

What is the difference between 보면 and 말하자면 in Korean? They can both appear in expressions translated as “from… perspective,” “in terms of…,” or “speaking of…,” but Korean does not simply attach 에서 to every noun. This guide explains how 입장에서 보면 expresses judgment from someone’s standpoint, 으로／로 보면 uses photos, numbers, or other evidence as the basis for judgment, 면에서 보면 evaluates something from a particular aspect, and 면에서 말하자면 limits the discussion to one criterion. It also covers 에 대해서 말하자면, the independent meaning of 말하자면 as “in other words,” and comparisons with 에 따르면, 에 대해서, and Japanese 〜から見ると and 〜の面で言うと.