밤을 새우다.

The Korean idiom '밤을 새우다' (bam-eul sae-u-da) literally translates to 'to make the night stand up' or 'to make the night pass/erect.' Breaking it down: * **밤 (bam):** This is the native Korean word for 'night.' Its etymology traces back to Old Korean, and it's a fundamental word in the language, largely unchanged in its core meaning for centuries. It refers to the period between sunset and sunrise. * **을 (-eul):** This is a direct object particle in Korean. It marks '밤' as the object of the verb that follows, indicating that the action of the verb is performed upon 'night.' * **새우다 (sae-u-da):** This is the crucial verb here. Its primary meaning is 'to stay up all night,' 'to sit up all night,' or 'to spend the night without sleeping.' The root verb is '새다' (sae-da), which means 'to dawn,' 'to break (of day),' or 'to pass (of night).' The suffix '-우' (-u) in '새우다' is a causative or transitive marker, transforming an intransitive verb into a transitive one. So, while '밤이 새다' (bam-i sae-da) means 'the night breaks/dawns' (the night itself passes), '밤을 새우다' (bam-eul sae-u-da) means 'to make the night pass' or 'to cause the night to pass without sleeping.' Historically, the concept of 'making the night stand up' or 'passing the night without sleep' is quite ancient. Before artificial lighting was widespread, staying up all night was often done out of necessity (e.g., guarding, working, studying for an important exam, or mourning) or due to circumstances (e.g., illness, worry, or celebration). The act of '새우다' inherently implies an effort or a duration during which one is actively engaged in preventing sleep until daybreak. The idiom effectively captures the entire process of remaining awake from evening until morning. It is a common expression used to describe situations ranging from pulling an all-nighter for work or study to staying awake due to anxiety or excitement. In essence, '밤을 새우다' is a beautifully descriptive idiom that uses the concept of actively 'managing' or 'causing' the night to pass while one remains awake, rather than simply stating 'not sleeping.' Its etymology is rooted in the basic components of 'night' and a verb indicating the passage of time through human action or endurance.