길을 가르쳐 주다.

The phrase '길을 가르쳐 주다' (gil-eul ga-reu-chyeo ju-da) is a combination of several Korean words: * **길 (gil):** This word means 'road,' 'path,' or 'way.' Its etymology is deeply rooted in ancient Korean, appearing in various forms in Old Korean and Middle Korean. It generally refers to a physical route or direction. * **을/를 (-eul/-reul):** This is an object particle in Korean, indicating that '길' is the direct object of the verb. It doesn't have an independent etymology but serves a grammatical function. * **가르치다 (ga-reu-chi-da):** This verb means 'to teach,' 'to instruct,' or 'to show.' Its origin can be traced back to Middle Korean forms like 'ᄀᆞᄅᆞ치다' (go-lo-chi-da). Over centuries, its pronunciation and spelling have evolved to the modern '가르치다.' The core meaning of imparting knowledge or showing how to do something has remained consistent. * **아/어 주다 (-a/-eo ju-da):** This is a grammatical construction where '주다' (ju-da), meaning 'to give,' is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that the action of the preceding verb is done as a favor or for the benefit of someone else. In this context, '가르쳐 주다' implies 'to teach/show (for someone's benefit).' The verb '주다' itself is an ancient Korean word with a long history of meaning 'to give.' When combined, '길을 가르쳐 주다' literally translates to 'to teach/show the way/road (for someone).' This phrase metaphorically and directly means 'to provide instructions on how to reach a destination' or 'to give directions.' The combination reflects a practical and helpful action, deeply ingrained in Korean culture where helping others with directions is common. The phrase has been in common use for a very long time, likely since the Middle Korean period, evolving alongside the individual words. It represents a fundamental act of guidance and assistance in navigation.