커녕 (keonyeong) means "let alone, far from".
Used to indicate that even the basic thing is impossible, let alone the advanced thing.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- 은커녕 eunkeonyeong after a consonant, 는커녕 neunkeonyeong after a vowel.
- The next part usually has 도 do and a negative.
Build it
When to use it
Let alone
Not even the easier thing, so forget the harder one.
Far from it
After a verb, 기는커녕 gineunkeonyeong: the opposite happened.
Watch out
With 도 do in the "let alone" meaning, the verb has to be negative.
It goes on the harder thing. The easier one gets 도 do.
In context
8 examples- 1
밥은커녕 물도 못 마셨어요.
Babeunkeonyeong muldo mot masyeosseoyo.
I couldn't even drink water, let alone eat.
- 2
칭찬은커녕 욕만 먹었어요.
Chingchaneunkeonyeong yongman meogeosseoyo.
Instead of praise, I only got insulted.
- 3
고맙다는 말은커녕 인사도 안 했어요.
Gomapdaneun mareunkeonyeong insado an haesseoyo.
He didn't even say hi, let alone thank me.
- 4
저축은커녕 월세 내기도 힘들어.
Jeochugeunkeonyeong wolse naegido himdeureo.
Forget saving, I can barely pay rent.
- 5
사과는커녕 오히려 화를 냈어요.
Sagwaneunkeonyeong ohiryeo hwareul naesseoyo.
Far from apologizing, he actually got angry.
- 6
주말은커녕 저녁에도 쉴 시간이 없어요.
Jumareunkeonyeong jeonyeogedo swil sigani eopseoyo.
I don't even get time off in the evenings, let alone weekends.
- 7
비가 그치기는커녕 더 많이 와요.
Biga geuchigineunkeonyeong deo mani wayo.
Far from stopping, the rain's getting heavier.
- 8
도움은커녕 방해만 됐어.
Doumeunkeonyeong banghaeman dwaesseo.
He wasn't any help. He just got in the way.
Practice
8 questions돈 + (은/는)커녕
Two shapes
커녕 has two patterns, and it helps to keep them apart.
Let alone: noun + 은커녕 eunkeonyeong or 는커녕 neunkeonyeong, then 도 do and a negative. The second thing is easier, and even that didn't happen.
- 점심은커녕 커피도 못 마셨어요. jeomsimeunkeonyeong keopido mot masyeosseoyo "I couldn't even have a coffee, let alone lunch."
Far from it: verb + 기는커녕 gineunkeonyeong, then the opposite of what you hoped, often with 오히려 ohiryeo, "instead" or "actually".
- 쉬기는커녕 오히려 일이 더 늘었어요. swigineunkeonyeong ohiryeo iri deo neureosseoyo "Far from getting a rest, I ended up with even more work."
The positive twin: 물론이고
커녕 is for things that didn't happen. For things that did, "X of course, and Y too", put 은/는 on the noun and add 물론이고 mullonigo:
- 영어는 물론이고 중국어도 해요. yeongeoneun mullonigo junggugeodo haeyo "She speaks Chinese, and English, of course."
Same shape, opposite feeling.
Hanja in this lesson
Words from the examples that are written with Chinese characters. Tap a character to see its page.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 커녕 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
