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작아지다

A1 verb #3,500 よく出る 9分で読める

작아지다

jagajida 上位3,500

練習する例文メモとヒント 작아지다 30秒で

解説 작아지다 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '작아지다' is taught as a simple way to describe changes in physical objects. Students learn that it comes from '작다' (small) and means 'to get small.' You will use it primarily to talk about clothes that don't fit anymore because they were washed incorrectly, or to describe things you see in the distance, like a car or a plane getting smaller as it moves away. The focus is on basic past tense ('작아졌어요') and present tense ('작아져요'). You should practice using it with simple subjects like '옷' (clothes), '집' (house), and '소리' (sound). Understanding this word helps you transition from just describing how things are to describing how they change.

At the A2 level, you begin to use '작아지다' in more varied sentence structures. You might start using it with adverbs like '점점' (gradually) or '조금씩' (little by little) to describe a process. You also learn to contrast it with its opposite, '커지다' (to become big). At this stage, you should be able to use '작아지다' to describe not just physical size, but also the volume of a voice or music. For example, '음악 소리가 점점 작아져요' (The music is getting quieter). You will also encounter it in basic compound sentences using connectors like '-아/어서' (because) or '-고' (and), such as '빨래를 해서 옷이 작아졌어요' (I did the laundry, so the clothes got small).

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At the B1 level, the usage of '작아지다' extends into the psychological and emotional realm. You will start to hear and use it to describe feelings of intimidation or a lack of confidence. For instance, '사람들 앞에서 제 자신이 작아지는 것 같아요' (I feel like I'm becoming small/insignificant in front of people). This figurative use is very common in daily Korean conversation. You should also be able to use the word in different grammatical moods, such as the conditional ('작아지면') or the presumptive ('작아지겠네요'). At this level, you are expected to distinguish '작아지다' from '적어지다' (to become few) and '줄어들다' (to decrease), choosing the correct one based on whether you are talking about size or quantity.

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At the B2 level, you are expected to use '작아지다' with more sophisticated nuances and in more formal settings. You might use it to describe abstract concepts like '영향력이 작아지다' (influence becoming smaller) or '비중이 작아지다' (importance/proportion becoming smaller). You will also encounter it in literature and news reports where it might describe the waning moon or the diminishing role of a certain industry. Your ability to use the word as a noun modifier ('작아진 목소리') or in complex clauses ('작아지기 시작한 시점') should be well-developed. You should also be familiar with how it interacts with honorifics, although the verb itself doesn't change, the surrounding sentence structure will.

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At the C1 level, you understand the subtle poetic and rhetorical uses of '작아지다'. You can use it to discuss social issues, such as the 'shrinking' of rural communities or the diminishing presence of traditional culture in a modern world. You are comfortable using it in academic or professional discussions to describe trends where physical or abstract dimensions are reduced. You can also appreciate how the word is used in idioms or proverbs to convey humility or the inevitable decline of power. Your usage should be indistinguishable from a native speaker, knowing exactly when '작아지다' is more evocative than a technical term like '축소되다'.

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At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of '작아지다', including its most abstract and philosophical applications. You can use it to discuss existential themes, such as the insignificance of human existence in the vastness of the universe, or the way memories 'shrink' and fade over time. You are able to use it in high-level creative writing, play with its meaning in puns, or use it to describe complex scientific processes in a way that is both accurate and linguistically rich. You understand all the historical and etymological nuances and can explain the word's relationship with other similar concepts in the Korean lexicon with ease.

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練習する例文メモとヒント

작아지다 30秒で

A verb meaning 'to become small,' used for physical shrinking, quieter sounds, or diminishing confidence.
Formed from the adjective '작다' (small) and the suffix '-아지다' (to become).
Commonly used in past tense '작아졌어요' to describe a finished change, like shrunken clothes.
Distinguished from '적어지다,' which refers to quantity (few) rather than size (small).

The Korean verb 작아지다 (jag-a-ji-da) is a fundamental compound word that describes a transition or a change in state. At its core, it combines the adjective 작다 (to be small) with the auxiliary verb pattern -아/어지다, which functions similarly to 'to become' or 'to get' in English. This word is indispensable for Korean learners because it covers a vast spectrum of scenarios, ranging from the physical shrinking of a wool sweater in a hot wash to the metaphorical feeling of losing one's confidence in a room full of experts. In everyday life, Koreans use this word to describe the natural progression of things losing volume, size, or significance over time. It is an intransitive verb, meaning it focuses on the subject undergoing the change rather than an actor performing an action on something else.

Physical Transformation: This is the most common usage, referring to objects that literally decrease in size. For example, if you wash a cotton shirt in hot water and it shrinks, you would say the shirt has '작아졌다'. It is also used to describe things moving away; as a car drives into the distance, it appears to become smaller to the observer's eye.

세탁을 잘못해서 내 스웨터가 너무 작아졌어요. (I washed it wrong, so my sweater became too small.)

Acoustic and Abstract Volume: Beyond physical dimensions, '작아지다' is frequently applied to sounds and voices. When someone loses their nerve while speaking or when a radio's volume is turned down, the sound '작아진다'. This extends to abstract concepts like influence, power, or even the size of a problem as it gets resolved.

Furthermore, the word carries a significant psychological weight. In Korean culture, social hierarchy and confidence are often expressed through metaphors of size. If someone feels intimidated or embarrassed, they might say their heart or their presence '작아졌다'. This nuance is crucial for reaching higher levels of fluency, as it allows you to express complex emotions using a simple A1-level root word. Whether you are talking about the moon waning, a child's outgrown shoes (making the shoes 'feel' smaller), or a person's dwindling hope, this verb is your primary tool for expressing the process of reduction.

Using 작아지다 correctly requires an understanding of how to conjugate the '-아/어지다' pattern across different tenses and politeness levels. Since it is a verb that describes a change of state, it is most frequently encountered in the past tense (작아졌다) because we are usually commenting on a change that has already occurred. However, the future and present continuous forms are also vital for describing ongoing processes, such as a glacier melting or a person slowly losing their confidence during a difficult presentation.

Tense Conjugation: Past: 작아졌어요 (became small), Present: 작아져요 (is becoming small), Future: 작아질 거예요 (will become small). Note how the '아' from '작다' combines with '어지다' to form '아지다'.

멀리 가는 기차가 점점 작아지다가 결국 사라졌어요. (The train going far away gradually became smaller and finally disappeared.)

When constructing sentences, pay close attention to the particles. Usually, the subject that is becoming smaller is marked with the subject particle 이/가. For example, '목소리가 작아지다' (The voice becomes small). If you want to emphasize the 'becoming' aspect, you can add adverbs like '점점' (gradually) or '갑자기' (suddenly). These adverbs help provide context to the speed and nature of the transformation.

선생님 앞에서는 제 마음이 작아져요. (In front of the teacher, my heart feels small/I feel intimidated.)

In more complex sentences, '작아지다' can be used as a modifier. For instance, '작아진 옷' (the clothes that became small) or '작아지는 소리' (the sound that is becoming smaller). This allows you to describe objects based on the change they have undergone. It is also common to use it in conditional sentences like '이걸 세탁하면 작아질까요?' (If I wash this, will it get smaller?). Mastery of these variations allows for nuanced communication in shopping, describing nature, or expressing personal feelings.

You will encounter 작아지다 in a variety of real-world contexts in Korea. One of the most common places is in retail and fashion. When customers are worried about clothes shrinking after a wash, or when a child has grown so much that their old clothes 'feel' smaller, this word is used constantly. In Korean department stores or laundromats, you might see warning signs like '세탁 시 옷이 작아질 수 있으니 주의하세요' (Be careful as clothes may become smaller during washing). This practical usage is something every resident in Korea needs to know.

Daily Conversations: Friends often use it when talking about their self-esteem. If a friend says, '그 사람 앞에서는 내가 너무 작아지는 것 같아' (I feel like I become so small in front of that person), they are expressing a lack of confidence or a feeling of inferiority.

풍선에서 바람이 빠지면서 점점 작아지네요. (As the air comes out of the balloon, it's gradually getting smaller.)

In media, such as K-Dramas and variety shows, you will hear this word during emotional scenes. Characters often talk about their 'world getting smaller' or their 'hopes getting smaller' when facing adversity. Conversely, in variety shows, it’s used humorously when a celebrity is teased and they 'shrink' into their seat in embarrassment. In weather reports or science documentaries, it describes the moon's phases or the receding of floodwaters. Its versatility makes it a staple of the Korean language across all genres of media.

화면 속의 글자가 너무 작아져서 안 보여요. (The letters on the screen became so small that I can't see them.)

Finally, in educational settings, teachers use '작아지다' to explain mathematical concepts (like numbers decreasing) or scientific phenomena. If you are learning Korean in a classroom, your teacher might ask you to make your voice '작아지게' (smaller/quieter) during a listening exercise or '커지게' (bigger/louder) during a speaking drill. Understanding this word in these diverse contexts—from the laundry room to the TV screen—is essential for cultural immersion.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make with 작아지다 is confusing it with the simple adjective 작다. While '작다' describes a state (being small), '작아지다' describes a process (becoming small). If you say '옷이 작아요', you mean the clothes are currently small. If you say '옷이 작아졌어요', you mean they were once larger but have since shrunk. Misusing these can lead to confusion about whether a situation is permanent or the result of a change.

Confusion with '적어지다': A very common error for beginners is mixing up '작아지다' (to become small in size) and '적어지다' (to become few in quantity). If you want to say the number of students decreased, you must use '적어지다'. Using '작아지다' would imply the students themselves are physically shrinking!

[Wrong]: 돈이 작아졌어요. (Money became physically small.)
[Right]: 돈이 적어졌어요. (The amount of money decreased.)

Another error involves using '작아지다' with the wrong particles. Since it is an intransitive verb, it cannot take an object marked with '을/를'. You cannot '작아지다' something; something just '작아진다'. If you want to say you made something smaller, you must use the causative form 작게 만들다 or 줄이다 (to reduce/shorten). Beginners often try to translate 'I shrank the shirt' directly, resulting in ungrammatical sentences like '내가 셔츠를 작아졌어'.

[Wrong]: 목소리를 작아지세요.
[Right]: 목소리를 낮추세요 or 작게 하세요. (Please lower your voice / Make your voice small.)

Lastly, be careful with the spelling. Some learners forget the '아' and write '작어지다', following the general '-어지다' rule. However, because the last vowel of the root '작' is '아', it must be followed by '-아지다' according to Korean vowel harmony rules. Always check the root vowel before attaching this suffix to ensure your spelling is accurate.

While 작아지다 is a versatile word, Korean has several other verbs that describe reduction or shrinking, each with its own specific nuance. Understanding these differences will help you choose the most natural word for each situation. The most common alternative is 줄어들다, which is often used for quantity, length, or overall scale. While '작아지다' emphasizes the physical size or appearance, '줄어들다' often emphasizes the reduction in volume or amount.

작아지다 vs. 줄어들다: Use '작아지다' for physical dimensions (a small ball). Use '줄어들다' for numbers, weight, or things that shrink inward (like a population or a bank balance).
작아지다 vs. 낮아지다: While '작아지다' can be used for voice volume, '낮아지다' specifically means 'to become low'. Use '낮아지다' for temperature, grades, or the pitch of a sound.

인구가 점점 줄어들고 있어요. (The population is gradually decreasing/shrinking.)

Another interesting synonym is 축소되다, which is a more formal, Sino-Korean word (縮小) usually used in business or news contexts. It means 'to be downsized' or 'to be reduced' in scale. If a company is downsizing its operations, you would hear '규모가 축소되었다' rather than '작아졌다'. For specifically 'shrinking' in the sense of contracting (like a muscle or a drying sponge), the word 수축하다 is used in technical or scientific contexts.

예산이 축소되어서 계획을 변경해야 해요. (The budget has been reduced, so we have to change the plan.)

In summary, while '작아지다' is your 'go-to' word for things becoming small, being aware of '줄어들다' (quantity), '낮아지다' (level/pitch), '축소되다' (formal scale), and '수축하다' (physical contraction) will significantly enrich your Korean vocabulary and allow you to speak with greater precision.

How Formal Is It?

豆知識

The suffix '-아지다' is one of the most productive patterns in Korean, allowing almost any adjective to turn into a verb of change.

発音ガイド

UK /t͡ɕa̠ɡa̠t͡ɕida̠/

US /t͡ɕa̠ɡa̠t͡ɕida̠/

The stress is relatively even across all syllables in Korean, but there is a slight melodic rise on '아'.

難易度

読解 1/5

Very easy to read as it uses basic components '작' and '지다'.

ライティング 2/5

Requires remembering the vowel harmony (작 + 아 rather than 어).

スピーキング 1/5

Simple pronunciation with common liaison.

リスニング 2/5

Can sometimes be confused with '적어지다' in fast speech.

次に学ぶべきこと

前提知識

작다 (to be small) 지다 (auxiliary verb of becoming) 옷 (clothes) 소리 (sound) 크다 (to be big)

次に学ぶ

커지다 (to become big) 줄어들다 (to decrease) 좁아지다 (to become narrow) 넓어지다 (to become wide) 변화 (change)

上級

축소 (reduction) 위축 (intimidation/contraction) 수축 (contraction) 감소 (decrease)

知っておくべき文法

-아/어지다 (To become/get)

예뻐지다 (become pretty), 좋아지다 (become good).

Vowel Harmony (아/오 -> -아지다)

작다 -> 작아지다, 좁다 -> 좁아지다.

Present Progressive -고 있다

작아지고 있어요 (is getting smaller).

Noun Modifier -(으)ㄴ

작아진 옷 (shrunken clothes).

Adverbial -게

작아지게 만들다 (to make something get smaller).

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レベル別の例文

옷이 작아졌어요.

The clothes became small.

Past tense of 작아지다.

빵이 작아져요.

The bread is getting smaller.

Present tense indicating an ongoing change.

가방이 작아졌어요?

Did the bag get smaller?

Interrogative past tense.

비행기가 작아 보여요.

The airplane looks small (as it flies away).

While not '작아지다', it's the result of the process.

글씨가 작아졌어요.

The handwriting got smaller.

Subject (handwriting) + 작아지다.

풍선이 작아져요.

The balloon is getting smaller.

Present tense.

신발이 작아졌어요.

The shoes became small (I grew out of them).

Common expression for children growing.

소리가 작아졌어요.

The sound became small (quiet).

Used for volume.

세탁기 때문에 옷이 작아졌어요.

The clothes got small because of the washing machine.

Using '때문에' to show cause.

멀리 갈수록 배가 작아져요.

The further it goes, the smaller the boat gets.

Using '-을수록' (the more... the more...).

목소리가 점점 작아지네요.

Your voice is gradually getting smaller.

Using '점점' (gradually) and '-네요' (exclamatory).

날씨가 추우면 몸이 작아져요.

When the weather is cold, the body becomes small (curls up).

Conditional '-면'.

이 옷은 빨면 작아질 거예요.

If you wash this cloth, it will get smaller.

Future tense '-을 거예요'.

달이 점점 작아지고 있어요.

The moon is gradually getting smaller (waning).

Present progressive '-고 있다'.

그림 속의 산이 작아졌어요.

The mountain in the drawing became smaller.

Past tense.

사과가 작아져서 슬퍼요.

I'm sad because the apple got smaller.

Using '-아/어서' for reason.

면접을 볼 때 제 자신이 작아지는 것 같았어요.

I felt like I was becoming small during the interview.

Figurative use for loss of confidence.

비중이 작아진 역할을 맡게 되었어요.

I ended up taking a role whose importance has decreased.

Noun modifier '작아진'.

나이가 들수록 키가 조금씩 작아진대요.

They say you get a little shorter as you get older.

Quotative '-ㄴ대요'.

화면을 축소하면 글자가 너무 작아져요.

If you zoom out the screen, the letters get too small.

Condition and result.

그의 영향력이 예전보다 작아졌습니다.

His influence has become smaller than before.

Abstract usage for influence.

문제가 작아질 때까지 기다려 봅시다.

Let's wait until the problem gets smaller.

Abstract usage for problems.

꿈이 작아지지 않도록 노력하세요.

Work hard so that your dreams don't get smaller.

Negative form '-지 않도록'.

희망이 작아지는 순간에도 포기하지 마세요.

Don't give up even in moments when hope is diminishing.

Noun modifier '작아지는' with '순간'.

전통 시장의 규모가 점점 작아지고 있는 추세입니다.

The scale of traditional markets is on a downward trend.

Formal '추세' (trend) context.

실수를 하고 나니 고개를 들 수 없을 만큼 작아졌어요.

After making a mistake, I felt so small I couldn't lift my head.

Idiomatic expression of shame.

기술의 발달로 기기들의 크기가 비약적으로 작아졌습니다.

With the development of technology, the size of devices has become dramatically smaller.

Adverb '비약적으로' (dramatically).

그의 목소리가 작아지는 것을 보니 자신이 없는 모양이에요.

Seeing his voice get smaller, it seems he lacks confidence.

Presumptive '-는 모양이다'.

도시화로 인해 녹지 면적이 계속 작아지고 있습니다.

Due to urbanization, the area of green space is continuously shrinking.

Formal cause '로 인해'.

기대감이 작아질수록 실망도 커지는 법이죠.

The smaller the expectation, the larger the disappointment (often used inversely).

Philosophical '-는 법이다'.

어머니의 뒷모습이 전보다 작아진 것 같아 마음이 아팠어요.

My heart ached because my mother's back looked smaller than before.

Emotional usage regarding aging.

강수량이 줄어들면서 호수의 크기가 눈에 띄게 작아졌어요.

As rainfall decreased, the size of the lake became noticeably smaller.

Adverb '눈에 띄게' (noticeably).

권력의 핵심에서 멀어질수록 그의 존재감은 작아져만 갔다.

The further he moved from the core of power, the more his presence diminished.

Emphatic '-어만 가다' (kept on becoming).

현대 사회에서 개인의 입지는 갈수록 작아지는 양상을 보입니다.

In modern society, the position of the individual shows a trend of diminishing.

Academic '양상을 보이다' (to show an aspect/trend).

우주라는 거대한 공간 앞에서 인간은 한없이 작아질 수밖에 없다.

In front of the vast space of the universe, humans cannot help but become infinitely small.

Existential '-을 수밖에 없다' (cannot help but).

검열이 강화되면서 창작의 자유가 작아지는 결과가 초래되었습니다.

As censorship tightened, it resulted in the shrinking of creative freedom.

Formal '결과가 초래되다' (to result in/cause).

과거의 영광은 퇴색되고 그의 명성은 날로 작아졌다.

Past glory faded and his reputation diminished day by day.

Literary '퇴색되다' (to fade).

마을 공동체의 기능이 작아지면서 이웃 간의 정이 메말라갔다.

As the function of the village community diminished, the affection between neighbors dried up.

Social commentary.

부풀려졌던 거품이 빠지자 기업의 실체가 작아진 모습으로 드러났다.

When the inflated bubble burst, the reality of the company was revealed in a diminished state.

Metaphorical '거품' (bubble).

심리적으로 위축될 때마다 사람들은 스스로가 작아진다고 느낀다.

Whenever people feel psychologically intimidated, they feel themselves becoming small.

Reflexive '스스로'.

역사의 도도한 흐름 속에서 한 개인의 고뇌는 작아지기 마련이다.

In the grand flow of history, an individual's anguish is bound to become small.

Philosophical '-기 마련이다' (it is bound to).

소멸해가는 별의 크기가 작아지듯, 우리의 기억 또한 응축되어 간다.

Just as the size of a dying star diminishes, our memories also become condensed.

Simile '-듯' (as if/just as).

거대 담론에 밀려 소수자의 목소리가 작아지는 현상을 경계해야 한다.

We must be wary of the phenomenon where minority voices are diminished by grand narratives.

Sociological '거대 담론' (grand narrative).

자아의 경계가 무너지고 우주와 합일될 때, '나'라는 존재는 작아지다 못해 사라진다.

When the boundaries of the self collapse and unify with the universe, the existence of 'I' becomes so small it eventually disappears.

Extreme expression '-다 못해' (beyond the point of).

물질적 풍요 속에서도 정신적 빈곤으로 인해 인간의 존엄성이 작아지는 시대이다.

It is an era where human dignity is diminishing due to spiritual poverty despite material abundance.

Critical commentary.

미시적인 관점에서 보면 거시적인 문제는 오히려 작아지기도 한다.

From a microscopic perspective, macroscopic problems sometimes actually become smaller.

Academic '미시적/거시적' (micro/macro).

시간의 마모를 견디지 못한 비석의 글귀는 점점 작아져 형체를 알아볼 수 없게 되었다.

The inscriptions on the tombstone, unable to withstand the erosion of time, became so small they were unrecognizable.

Literary '마모' (erosion/wear).

절대적인 진리 앞에서 모든 지식적 오만은 작아질 수밖에 없는 숙명을 지닌다.

Before absolute truth, all intellectual arrogance has the destiny of inevitably becoming small.

High-level philosophical discourse.

よく使う組み合わせ

옷이 작아지다

목소리가 작아지다

점점 작아지다

마음이 작아지다

규모가 작아지다

비중이 작아지다

키가 작아지다

글씨가 작아지다

화면이 작아지다

영향력이 작아지다

よく使うフレーズ

작아지기 시작하다

— To start becoming small. Used for ongoing processes.

풍선이 작아지기 시작했어요.

눈에 띄게 작아지다

— To become noticeably smaller. Used when the change is obvious.

얼굴이 눈에 띄게 작아졌네요.

갑자기 작아지다

— To suddenly become small. Used for unexpected changes.

라디오 소리가 갑자기 작아졌어요.

한없이 작아지다

— To become infinitely small. Often used metaphorically for feeling humble or intimidated.

대자연 앞에서 인간은 한없이 작아집니다.

작아졌다 커졌다 하다

— To fluctuate in size (become small then big).

불빛이 작아졌다 커졌다 해요.

더 이상 작아질 수 없다

— Cannot get any smaller. Used for the limit of reduction.

이 옷은 더 이상 작아질 수 없어요.

작아지는 느낌

— The feeling of becoming small. Usually psychological.

혼자 있을 때 작아지는 느낌이 들어요.

세탁 후 작아짐

— Shrinking after laundry. (Noun phrase usage).

이 원단은 세탁 후 작아짐 현상이 있어요.

작아지면 안 되다

— Must not get smaller. Used for warnings.

이 부품은 작아지면 안 됩니다.

작아지게 만들다

— To make something smaller. The causative equivalent.

포토샵으로 이미지를 작아지게 만들었어요.

よく混同される語

작아지다 vs 적어지다

Means 'to become few/less' (quantity). '작아지다' is for size.

작아지다 vs 좁아지다

Means 'to become narrow' (width). '작아지다' is for overall size.

작아지다 vs 낮아지다

Means 'to become low' (height/level). '작아지다' is for volume/size.

慣用句と表現

"쥐구멍이라도 있으면 들어가고 싶을 만큼 작아지다"

— To feel so small/embarrassed that one wants to hide in a mouse hole.

실수를 하고 나서 쥐구멍이라도 있으면 들어가고 싶을 만큼 작아졌어요.

Informal/Idiomatic

"간이 작아지다"

— Literally 'the liver gets small'; meaning to become very scared or lose courage.

그 무서운 영화를 보고 나니 간이 작아졌어요.

Slang/Idiomatic

"목소리가 기어들어가다 (작아지다)"

— For one's voice to crawl in; used when someone speaks very quietly due to lack of confidence.

혼날 때 목소리가 작아지며 기어들어갔어요.

Common Idiom

"어깨가 작아지다"

— To lose confidence or feel discouraged (shoulders drooping).

실패 후에 어깨가 작아진 그의 모습이 안쓰러웠다.

Metaphorical

"세상이 작아지다"

— To feel like one's world is shrinking (losing opportunities or social circle).

은퇴 후에 세상이 작아지는 기분이 들어요.

Literary

"한 줌으로 작아지다"

— To shrink to the size of a handful; to become very small or insignificant.

그 많던 돈이 한 줌으로 작아졌어요.

Literary

"마음이 콩알만 해지다 (작아지다)"

— Heart becomes the size of a bean; to be terrified or very nervous.

시험 결과 발표를 기다리는데 마음이 콩알만 하게 작아졌어요.

Idiomatic

"그림자가 작아지다"

— One's shadow gets small; often used metaphorically for losing influence or approaching noon.

정오가 되니 그림자가 작아졌어요.

Literal/Metaphorical

"앞길이 작아지다"

— The path ahead gets narrow/small; to have fewer prospects.

경기가 안 좋아지니 앞길이 작아지는 것 같아요.

Metaphorical

"존재감이 작아지다"

— One's presence becomes small; to be ignored or lose importance in a group.

새 멤버가 들어오고 제 존재감이 작아졌어요.

Modern Idiom

間違えやすい

작아지다 vs 작다

Both relate to smallness.

'작다' is a state (is small), '작아지다' is a process (becomes small).

방이 작아요 (The room is small) vs 방이 작아졌어요 (The room became smaller - maybe due to more furniture).

작아지다 vs 줄다

Both mean to shrink.

'줄다' is often used for weight, length, or quantity. '작아지다' is more about the visual size.

몸무게가 줄었어요 (Weight decreased) vs 풍선이 작아졌어요 (Balloon got small).

작아지다 vs 줄어들다

Very similar in meaning.

'줄어들다' emphasizes the reduction in amount or volume. '작아지다' emphasizes the change in appearance.

인구가 줄어들다 (Population decreases) vs 옷이 작아지다 (Clothes shrink).

작아지다 vs 축소하다

Both mean to make small.

'축소하다' is transitive (to reduce something) and formal. '작아지다' is intransitive.

규모를 축소하다 (To reduce the scale) vs 규모가 작아지다 (The scale became small).

작아지다 vs 낮아지다

Used for sound.

'낮아지다' is for pitch (low notes). '작아지다' is for volume (quiet).

음이 낮아지다 (The note gets lower) vs 소리가 작아지다 (The sound gets quieter).

文型パターン

[Noun]이/가 작아졌어요.

옷이 작아졌어요.

[Noun]이/가 점점 작아져요.

소리가 점점 작아져요.

[Noun] 앞에서는 [Subject]가 작아지는 것 같아요.

선생님 앞에서는 제가 작아지는 것 같아요.

[Reason] 때문에 [Noun]의 비중이 작아졌습니다.

사고 때문에 그의 비중이 작아졌습니다.

[Subject]가 작아지는 양상을 보이고 있다.

전통 문화가 작아지는 양상을 보이고 있다.

이거 작아져요?

이 티셔츠 작아져요?

작아지면 안 돼요.

신발이 작아지면 안 돼요.

작아진 [Noun]을/를 보며...

작아진 옷을 보며 슬펐어요.

語族

名詞

작음 Smallness

動詞

작게 하다 To make small (causative)

줄이다 To reduce/shrink something

形容詞

작다 To be small

조그맣다 To be tiny/cute

使い方

frequency

Very high in daily conversation, fashion, and emotional expression.

よくある間違い

Using '작아지다' for quantity. → 적어지다
You should use '적어지다' for things you can count (money, people, days) and '작아지다' for physical dimensions.
Spelling it as '작어지다'. → 작아지다
Korean vowel harmony requires '아' to follow '아'. '작' + '아지다' is the only correct form.
Using it as a transitive verb (e.g., '내가 옷을 작아졌어'). → 내가 옷을 줄였어 / 옷이 작아졌어
'작아지다' is intransitive. The object cannot be the target of the action. Something just 'becomes small' on its own.
Confusing '작아지다' with '낮아지다' for volume. → 작아지다 (for volume)
'낮아지다' refers to the pitch (frequency), while '작아지다' refers to the loudness (decibels).
Using '작다' instead of '작아지다' to describe a change. → 작아지다
If you say '옷이 작아요', it means it's currently small. To say it 'shrank', you must use the 'becoming' form '작아졌어요'.

ヒント

Vowel Harmony Rule

Always check the last vowel of the adjective root. If it's '아' or '오', use '-아지다'. Since '작다' has '아', it must be '작아지다'. Never use '작어지다'.

Laundry Talk

When shopping in Korea, ask '이거 빨면 작아져요?' (Does this get small if I wash it?) to check if the fabric is pre-shrunk.

Humility Metaphor

Use '작아지다' to express humility or feeling overwhelmed in a polite way. It shows you understand the emotional nuances of the language.

Size vs Quantity

Remember: Size = 작아지다. Quantity = 적어지다. Don't say your money '작아졌어요' unless the bills physically shrank in the wash!

Natural Flow

Use the adverb '점점' (gradually) with '작아지다' to describe things like a sunset, a fading sound, or a car driving away. It sounds much more native.

Past Tense Priority

In most cases, you'll be describing a change that already happened. Practice '작아졌어요' more than the present tense.

Sound Reduction

In fast speech, '작아져요' might sound like '자거요' (incorrectly). Listen for the 'j' sound at the end to identify the '-지다' pattern.

Distance Perception

Use '작아지다' when describing perspective in art or photography. '멀리 있는 나무는 작아져요' (Trees far away get smaller).

Antonym Pairing

Always learn '작아지다' and '커지다' together. They are used in identical contexts and follow the same grammar rules.

Beauty Standards

If someone says your face '작아졌어요', they are likely complimenting your beauty or weight loss, not saying you look weird!

暗記しよう

記憶術

Think of a 'Jack' (작) in a box. When you push him down, he 'becomes small' (작아지다) to fit inside.

視覚的連想

Visualize a wool sweater in a hot washing machine shrinking until it fits a teddy bear.

Word Web

작다 줄어들다 세탁 목소리 점점 커지다 변화 축소

チャレンジ

Try to use '작아지다' in three sentences today: one about clothes, one about sound, and one about how you feel when you're nervous.

語源

Native Korean word. Derived from the adjective '작다' (small) combined with the auxiliary verb '-어지다' (to become).

元の意味： To transition into a state of smallness.

Koreanic

文化的な背景

Be careful when using '작아지다' to describe a person's physical stature as it can sometimes be sensitive, though usually, it's used for aging or metaphorical confidence.

English speakers often use 'shrink' for clothes but 'get quiet' for voices. Korean uses '작아지다' for both, which can be a point of simplification for learners.

The movie 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' is translated as '애들이 줄었어요' in Korea, using a similar concept of reduction. K-drama characters often say '나 왜 이렇게 작아지지?' (Why am I becoming so small?) when feeling inferior to a rival. Traditional poems often use the 'waning moon' (작아지는 달) to symbolize passing time or fading love.

実生活で練習する

実際の使用場面

Laundry & Shopping

이 옷 작아져요?
세탁 후에 작아졌어요.
작아질까 봐 걱정돼요.
건조기에 넣으면 작아져요.

Social Confidence

자신감이 작아졌어요.
그 사람 앞에서 작아져요.
내가 작아지는 기분이야.
목소리가 왜 이렇게 작아져?

Physical Distance

멀리 가서 작아 보여요.
점점 작아지더니 사라졌어.
배가 아주 작아졌네.
비행기가 작아지고 있어.

Sound & Volume

소리가 작아졌어요.
목소리를 작아지게 하세요 (incorrect but common mistake context).
음악이 점점 작아져요.
라디오 소리가 작아지네.

Nature & Science

달이 작아지고 있어요.
얼음이 녹아서 작아졌어요.
세포가 작아지는 현상.
강물이 말라서 작아졌어.

会話のきっかけ

"세탁기를 잘못 돌려서 좋아하는 옷이 작아진 적이 있나요? (Have you ever had your favorite clothes shrink because you used the washing machine wrong?)"

"사람들 앞에서 발표할 때 목소리가 작아지는 편인가요? (Do you tend to have your voice get smaller when presenting in front of people?)"

"나이가 들면 키가 작아진다는 말에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요? (What do you think about the saying that people get shorter as they age?)"

"요즘 우리 사회에서 어떤 것들의 비중이 작아지고 있다고 생각하시나요? (What things do you think are becoming less important/smaller in our society these days?)"

"멀리 떠나가는 기차를 보며 작아지는 모습을 본 적이 있나요? (Have you ever watched a train getting smaller as it leaves?)"

日記のテーマ

오늘 내가 작아졌다고 느꼈던 순간이 있었나요? 왜 그렇게 느꼈는지 적어보세요. (Was there a moment today when you felt like you became small? Write about why you felt that way.)

어릴 때 입었던 옷이 지금은 너무 작아진 것을 보았을 때의 느낌을 설명해 보세요. (Describe the feeling of seeing clothes you wore as a child that are now too small.)

점점 작아지는 달을 보며 어떤 생각을 하나요? (What thoughts do you have when looking at the gradually waning moon?)

내 인생에서 더 이상 작아지지 않았으면 하는 소중한 것은 무엇인가요? (What is something precious in your life that you wish would never get smaller?)

기술의 발달로 작아진 기기들이 우리 삶을 어떻게 바꾸었는지 써보세요. (Write about how devices that have become smaller due to technology have changed our lives.)

よくある質問

10 問

Generally, no. For numbers or quantities, use '적어지다' (become few) or '줄어들다' (decrease). '작아지다' is for physical size or volume. For example, '숫자가 작아지다' means the physical size of the written digit got smaller, not that the value decreased.

Since '작아지다' is intransitive, you can't say 'I 작아지다 the shirt'. Instead, use '셔츠를 줄였어요' (I reduced/shrank the shirt) or '세탁을 잘못해서 셔츠가 작아졌어요' (I washed it wrong so the shirt became small).

Yes, but usually metaphorically. '그 사람 앞에서 작아지다' means to feel intimidated or lose confidence. Physically, it's used for elderly people losing height ('키가 작아지다').

'작아지다' focuses on the state of being small (size/appearance). '줄어들다' focuses on the act of reduction (volume/amount). They are often interchangeable for clothes, but '줄어들다' is better for things like 'spending' or 'population'.

It is '작아지다'. Because the root '작' has the vowel '아', it follows vowel harmony and takes '-아지다' instead of '-어지다'.

Yes, it is the standard way to say a sound is getting quieter. '소리가 작아져요' is very common.

In formal written style (plain form), it is '작아진다'. In polite spoken style, it is '작아져요'.

Yes, '달이 작아지다' is a common way to describe the moon moving from full to new moon.

The opposite is '커지다' (to become big/grow).

Yes, it is considered a basic A1 level word because it uses a fundamental adjective and a common grammar pattern.

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