Among & 'Out Of All The' In Korean (중에(서))

The Korean terms 중에 and 중에서 both translate to ‘among’ or ‘out of all the’ in English, allowing you to specify a particular item or experience among a set.

Basic usage

For things or people

You can use 중에(서) with nouns to specify a particular item or person among a group:

한국 음식 중에서 제일 좋아하는 음식이 뭐에요?
Of all the Korean dishes, which one is your favourite?
학과목 중에서 수학은 가장 지루했어요.
Of all my school subjects, Maths was the most boring.
한국 친구들 중에서, 준영은 가장 착해요.
Of all my Korean friends, Jun Yeong is the most good-natured.

For experiences

When talking about experiences, you can combine 중에서 with V + 아/어 보다:

제가 가 본중에서 뉴욕은 제일 복잡해요.
Of all the places I've been, New York is the most crowded.
너가 방문해 본 나라 중에서 가장 비싼 곳이 어디에요?
Of all the countries you've visited, which one was the most expensive?
제가 봐 본 음악희 중에서 이 것은 제일 지루해요.
Of all the concerts I've seen, this one is the most boring.
제가 연주해 본 악기 중에서 피아노는 제일 힘들어요.
Of all the instruments I've played, the piano is the most challenging.

Notes

Conclusion

Understanding the 중에(서) structure is crucial for expressing comparisons or preferences among a set of options in Korean. It provides a concise and effective way to highlight a particular item, person, or experience.

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