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B2 noun #2,800 most common 5 min read

동기

donggi
Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 동기 in 30 Seconds
Explanation 동기 in your Level:
At the A1 level, '동기' is a bit difficult. You can think of it as 'the reason why I do something.' For example, 'Why do you study Korean?' The answer is your '동기.' While you might use the word '이유' (reason) more often, knowing '동기' helps you understand when people talk about 'motivation' in books or simple videos. Just remember: 동기 = Why I move.
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At the A2 level, you start to see '동기' in the context of school and work. You might learn the phrase '동기 부여' (motivation). Teachers might say, 'You need motivation to study!' It's the feeling inside you that makes you want to work hard. You can use it in simple sentences like '나의 동기는 가족이야' (My motivation is my family).
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At the B1 level, you should distinguish between '동기' (motivation) and '이유' (reason). '동기' is more about your heart and mind. You will see this word in job applications (지원 동기). You need to explain why you want the job. It's not just a fact; it's your passion and goal. You also start to see it used in news about 'why' someone did something bad (범행 동기).
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At the B2 level, '동기' is a key vocabulary for discussing psychology, society, and professional life. You should be able to discuss '내적 동기' (intrinsic motivation) versus '외적 동기' (extrinsic motivation). You understand that '동기' is the psychological catalyst. You can use it with advanced verbs like '부여하다' (to grant) or '유발하다' (to induce). You also recognize the homonym meaning 'peer' and can tell them apart by context.
At the C1 level, you use '동기' to analyze complex human behaviors. You might discuss how '동기' interacts with '환경' (environment) or '의지' (will). You can use it in academic writing to explain the 'motive' behind historical events or literary characters' actions. You understand the subtle nuances between '동기,' '계기,' and '원인' and can choose the exact word to convey your meaning in a sophisticated way.
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At the C2 level, '동기' is a tool for philosophical and high-level psychological discourse. You might explore the '무의식적 동기' (unconscious motives) in psychoanalysis or the '정치적 동기' (political motives) behind global policies. You can use the word in any register, from poetic to highly technical, and you understand its etymological roots in Hanja deeply, allowing you to create or understand complex compound words.
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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

동기 in 30 Seconds

  • 동기 (Motivation) is the 'why' behind any action, acting as a psychological spark.
  • It is commonly used in professional (지원 동기) and legal (범행 동기) contexts.
  • The most natural verb pairing is '동기를 부여하다' (to motivate/grant motivation).
  • It is a homonym for 'peer' or 'classmate,' so context is vital for understanding.

The Korean word 동기 (動機) is a multi-faceted noun primarily translated as 'motivation,' 'motive,' or 'incentive.' At its core, it refers to the internal or external force that triggers a specific action or decision. Unlike a simple 'reason' (이유), which can be a passive explanation, 동기 implies a dynamic spark or a catalyst that moves an individual from a state of rest to a state of action. In a psychological context, it is the 'why' behind human behavior, encompassing desires, needs, and goals that drive us toward a particular outcome.

Etymological Root
Derived from the Hanja 動 (move) and 機 (machine/opportunity/trigger), it literally means the 'trigger for movement.'
Psychological Nuance
It suggests a deeper psychological impulse than just a 'cause' (원인).
Scope of Use
Used in legal contexts (motive for a crime), educational contexts (motivation to study), and personal development.

Understanding 동기 requires looking at the source of the energy. Is it intrinsic (내적 동기), coming from within one's own interest and satisfaction, or extrinsic (외적 동기), driven by external rewards like money or grades? This distinction is crucial in Korean discourse regarding education and work ethics.

"그는 가난한 사람들을 돕겠다는 순수한 동기에서 이 일을 시작했다." (He started this work out of a pure motive to help the poor.)

"범행 동기가 아직 확실하지 않습니다." (The motive for the crime is not yet clear.)

"성공하고 싶다는 강한 동기가 그를 움직이게 했다." (A strong motivation to succeed moved him.)

"학습 동기를 유발하는 것이 교사의 중요한 역할이다." (Inducing learning motivation is an important role of a teacher.)

"이 영화를 만들게 된 동기는 무엇인가요?" (What was the motivation behind making this movie?)

In the B2 level, we focus on the abstract concept of 'motive.' When you use this word, you are often discussing the underlying purpose or the psychological 'engine' of an action. It is a more formal and precise term than '이유' (reason), making it ideal for essays, news reports, and professional discussions. For example, in a job interview, you might be asked about your '지원 동기' (motivation for applying), which expects a professional explanation of your goals and alignment with the company.

Internal Drive
내적 동기 (Intrinsic motivation) - Doing something for its own sake.
External Drive
외적 동기 (Extrinsic motivation) - Doing something for a reward.

Using 동기 effectively involves understanding its common grammatical patterns and the verbs it typically pairs with. It is most frequently used as a noun followed by particles like -가 (subject), -를 (object), or -에서 (source/reason).

Common Verb Pairings

  • 동기를 부여하다 (To provide motivation): This is the standard way to say 'to motivate someone.' Example: "선생님은 학생들에게 공부할 동기를 부여했다."
  • 동기가 되다 (To become a motive): Used when an event or person inspires an action. Example: "그의 성공은 나에게 큰 동기가 되었다."
  • 동기를 유발하다 (To induce/trigger motivation): Often used in academic or psychological contexts.
  • 동기를 찾다 (To find motivation): Used when someone is looking for a reason to keep going.

"그는 어떤 동기로 그런 행동을 했을까요?" (With what motive did he act like that?)

When discussing the 'reason for applying' to a job or school, the compound noun 지원 동기 is essential. In an interview, you shouldn't just say 'why' you want the job; you should describe your '지원 동기' using professional language. Similarly, in legal dramas or news, you will hear 범행 동기 (motive for a crime), which is a critical element in criminal investigations.

You will encounter 동기 in various settings, ranging from daily conversations to formal academic lectures. Here are the primary environments where this word is prevalent:

1. Educational and Professional Settings

In schools and workplaces, the focus is often on '동기 부여' (motivation). Managers talk about how to increase employee motivation, and teachers discuss strategies to keep students engaged. You'll hear phrases like "동기 부여가 확실하다" (The motivation is clear/strong).

2. News and Legal Reports

When a crime occurs, the media and police always investigate the '범행 동기.' You might hear news anchors say, "경찰은 피의자의 범행 동기를 파악하는 데 주력하고 있습니다" (Police are focusing on identifying the suspect's motive).

3. Self-Help and Psychology

In the world of self-improvement, 동기 is a buzzword. Podcasts, books, and YouTube videos often discuss '동기 부여 영상' (motivational videos) or '내적 동기' (inner motivation) to help people achieve their goals.

"오늘의 동기 부여 강연은 정말 인상적이었어요." (Today's motivational lecture was really impressive.)

While 동기 is a common word, learners often make specific errors in its usage and interpretation.

1. Confusing 'Motivation' with 'Peer'

As mentioned, 동기 (同氣/同期) also means 'peer' or 'colleague who joined at the same time.' If someone says "제 동기예요," they usually mean "This is my classmate/colleague," not "This is my motivation." Pay close attention to the particles and context.

2. Overusing '동기' instead of '이유'

While '동기' means reason, it is specifically the *spark* for an action. For simple factual reasons (e.g., "The reason I'm late is traffic"), use '이유.' Using '동기' in such cases sounds overly dramatic or clinical.

3. Incorrect Verb Collocation

Learners sometimes say "동기를 주다" (give motivation). While understandable, "동기를 부여하다" is the much more natural and sophisticated expression used by native speakers.

"그는 돈을 벌기 위한 동기로..." (Incorrect: should be '돈을 벌려는 동기로' or '돈을 벌기 위해')

To master 동기, you must distinguish it from its synonyms and related terms.

이유 (Reason)
The broadest term for why something happened. It can be a logical explanation or a simple excuse.
원인 (Cause)
Usually refers to the direct factor that produced a result, often used in scientific or negative contexts (e.g., cause of a fire).
계기 (Opportunity/Turning Point)
Often confused with '동기.' While '동기' is the internal drive, '계기' is the external event that started something. Example: "그 사고가 내 인생을 바꾼 계기가 되었다."
자극 (Stimulus/Incitement)
Something that provokes a reaction or provides a temporary boost in motivation.

In many cases, '동기' and '계기' are used together. For instance, an accident (계기) might provide the motivation (동기) to study medicine. Understanding this relationship helps in constructing complex Korean sentences.

"단순한 호기심이 동기가 되어 연구를 시작했습니다." (Simple curiosity became the motive, and I started the research.)

How Formal Is It?

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

-기 위해 (In order to)

-으려고 (Intending to)

-기 때문에 (Because of)

-는 바람에 (Because of an unexpected event)

Noun + 덕분에 (Thanks to)

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Examples by Level

1

공부 동기가 뭐예요?

What is your motivation for studying?

Noun + 가/이 (subject marker)

2

제 동기는 가족입니다.

My motivation is my family.

Noun + 은/는 (topic marker)

3

동기가 없어요.

I have no motivation.

Noun + 이/가 없다 (to not have)

4

동기를 찾고 싶어요.

I want to find motivation.

Noun + 를/을 찾다 (to find)

5

이것은 좋은 동기예요.

This is a good motivation.

Noun + 예요 (to be)

6

친구의 동기는 돈이에요.

My friend's motivation is money.

Possessive marker '의'

7

동기가 중요해요.

Motivation is important.

Adjective '중요하다'

8

왜요? 동기가 뭐예요?

Why? What is the motive?

Interrogative '뭐'

1

선생님이 동기를 주셨어요.

The teacher gave me motivation.

Honorific verb '주시다'

2

동기 부여가 필요해요.

I need motivation (granting).

Compound noun '동기 부여'

3

성공이 나의 큰 동기이다.

Success is my big motivation.

Written style '이다'

4

어떤 동기로 한국에 왔어요?

With what motivation did you come to Korea?

Particle '로' (by/with)

5

동기를 잃어버렸어요.

I lost my motivation.

Past tense '잃어버렸다'

6

그 영화는 나에게 동기가 되었다.

That movie became a motivation for me.

Verb '되다' (to become)

7

동기를 유지하는 것은 어렵다.

Maintaining motivation is difficult.

Gerund form '-는 것'

8

그는 동기가 확실한 사람이다.

He is a person with clear motivation.

Adjective modifying noun '-ㄴ'

1

지원 동기를 말씀해 주세요.

Please tell me your motivation for applying.

Formal polite '말씀해 주세요'

2

그의 범행 동기는 돈이었다.

His motive for the crime was money.

Specific noun '범행 동기'

3

동기 유발을 위해 상을 줬다.

I gave a prize to induce motivation.

Purpose marker '-위해'

4

내적 동기가 외적 동기보다 중요하다.

Intrinsic motivation is more important than extrinsic motivation.

Comparison '보다'

5

그녀는 작가가 되려는 동기가 강하다.

She has a strong motivation to become a writer.

Future intent '-려는'

6

동기 부여 강연을 들으러 갔다.

I went to listen to a motivational lecture.

Movement purpose '-러 가다'

7

어떤 동기에서 그런 말을 했니?

From what motive did you say such a thing?

Source marker '에서'

8

동기가 부족해서 포기했어요.

I gave up because I lacked motivation.

Reason marker '아/어서'

1

학습 동기를 높이는 방법이 뭘까요?

What is the way to increase learning motivation?

Noun modifying '-는'

2

순수한 동기에서 시작한 일입니다.

It is work started from a pure motive.

Adjective '순수하다'

3

경찰은 범행 동기를 수사 중이다.

The police are investigating the motive for the crime.

Current action '중이다'

4

자발적인 동기가 성과를 만든다.

Voluntary motivation creates results.

Adjective '자발적'

5

그의 행동에는 숨겨진 동기가 있다.

There is a hidden motive in his actions.

Passive participle '숨겨진'

6

동기 부여 전문가를 초청했다.

We invited a motivation expert.

Professional title '전문가'

7

결과보다는 동기가 더 중요하다.

The motive is more important than the result.

Contrastive comparison

8

그는 복수심을 동기로 삼았다.

He used revenge as his motive.

Structure 'A를 B로 삼다' (to make A into B)

1

무의식적인 동기가 행동을 지배한다.

Unconscious motives dominate behavior.

Abstract noun '무의식'

2

정치적 동기가 개입된 결정이었다.

It was a decision involving political motives.

Passive form '개입되다'

3

동기 결여는 우울증의 증상일 수 있다.

Lack of motivation can be a symptom of depression.

Possibility '-ㄹ 수 있다'

4

인간의 동기는 복합적으로 작용한다.

Human motivation acts in a complex way.

Adverbial '복합적으로'

5

그는 창작 동기를 얻기 위해 여행을 떠났다.

He went on a trip to gain creative motivation.

Compound '창작 동기'

6

사회적 동기가 개인의 욕구보다 앞선다.

Social motives precede individual desires.

Verb '앞서다' (to precede)

7

범행 동기가 불분명하여 수사가 난항을 겪고 있다.

The investigation is facing difficulties because the motive is unclear.

Causal '-하여'

8

동기 부여의 메커니즘을 분석해야 한다.

We must analyze the mechanism of motivation.

Necessity '-해야 한다'

1

동기론은 심리학의 핵심적인 분야이다.

Motivation theory is a core field of psychology.

Suffix '-론' (theory)

2

그의 행위는 도덕적 동기에 근거하고 있다.

His actions are based on moral motives.

Structure '에 근거하다'

3

동기의 순수성이 훼손되어서는 안 된다.

The purity of the motive must not be compromised.

Prohibition '-어서는 안 된다'

4

인간 행위의 근원적 동기를 탐구하다.

Exploring the fundamental motives of human action.

Literary verb '탐구하다'

5

권력에 대한 동기가 역사를 움직여 왔다.

The motive for power has moved history.

Continuity '-어 왔다'

6

동기 유발 요인을 다각도로 검토하였다.

The motivational factors were reviewed from various angles.

Adverbial '다각도로'

7

심미적 동기가 예술적 성취의 원동력이다.

Aesthetic motivation is the driving force of artistic achievement.

Metaphor '원동력'

8

동기 부여 체계의 구조적 모순을 지적했다.

Pointed out the structural contradictions in the motivation system.

Complex noun phrase

Common Collocations

동기 부여
동기 유발
지원 동기
범행 동기
내적 동기
외적 동기
동기를 찾다
동기가 확실하다
동기를 부여하다
동기가 되다

Common Phrases

동기 부여 영상
학습 동기
성취 동기
동기 강화
동기 결여
순수한 동기
정치적 동기
경제적 동기
개인적 동기
동기 수준

Often Confused With

동기 vs 계기

계기 is the external event/turning point; 동기 is the internal drive.

동기 vs 이유

이유 is a general reason; 동기 is a specific psychological trigger.

동기 vs 원인

원인 is a cause-effect link; 동기 is a purpose-driven link.

Idioms & Expressions

"동기 부여의 불꽃을 지피다 (To light the spark of motivation)"
"동기가 앞서다 (To have the motive precede the action/logic)"
"동기를 잃고 방황하다 (To wander after losing motivation)"
"동기 하나로 버티다 (To endure with only motivation)"
"동기가 사람을 만든다 (Motivation makes the person)"
"동기 없는 행동은 없다 (There is no action without a motive)"
"동기를 부여받다 (To be granted/receive motivation)"
"동기가 부여된 상태 (A motivated state)"
"동기 유발의 달인 (A master of inducing motivation)"
"동기 부여가 생명이다 (Motivation is life/essential)"

Easily Confused

동기 vs

동기 vs

동기 vs

동기 vs

Sentence Patterns

Word Family

Related

동력 (power)
동작 (movement)
기계 (machine)
기회 (opportunity)
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How to Use It

nuance

동기 is more internal and psychological than 이유.

homonym check

Remember 동기 (同期) - same period/peer.

Common Mistakes
  • Using 동기 for 'reason' in 'The reason it's raining.' (Use 이유)
  • Saying '동기를 만들다' (Use '동기를 부여하다' or '동기가 생기다')
  • Confusing '동기' (peer) and '동료' (colleague). 동기 is specifically someone who started at the same time.
  • Misspelling as '동개' or '동거'.
  • Using '동기' when '계기' (opportunity) is more appropriate for an external event.

Tips

Learn the Pair

Always learn '동기' with '부여하다'. They are inseparable in professional Korean.

Check the Peer

If someone says 'My 동기 is coming,' they mean their friend/colleague, not their motivation.

Interview Prep

Prepare your '지원 동기' (application motive) in advance for any Korean job interview.

Inner vs Outer

Use '내적' for inner drive and '외적' for external rewards.

Particle Choice

Use '-에서' when explaining the origin of an action (e.g., curiosity).

Emphasis

Stress the '동' slightly to sound more natural in formal speeches.

News Keywords

In crime news, '범행 동기' is a keyword to listen for the 'why'.

Academic Texts

In papers, look for '동기 유발' when reading about education.

Social Success

Understand that 'motivation' in Korea is often tied to 'self-development' (자기계발).

The Spark

Think of 동기 as the spark that starts the fire of action.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Dong-gi: The 'Dong' (movement) 'Gi' (gear) that starts your engine.

Word Origin

Sino-Korean (Hanja)

Cultural Context

In companies, '동기 부여' is often linked to bonuses or promotions.

Korean news reports always emphasize '범행 동기' to help the public understand a crime.

Students are often told their '동기' must be clear to survive the CSAT (Suneung).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"한국어를 배우게 된 동기가 뭐예요?"

"요즘 일할 동기가 부족한데 어떻게 하면 좋을까요?"

"가장 강력한 동기 부여 방법은 무엇이라고 생각하세요?"

"지원 동기서 쓰는 게 너무 힘들어요."

"그 영화 주인공의 동기가 이해되나요?"

Journal Prompts

나를 움직이게 하는 가장 큰 동기는 무엇인가?

최근에 동기를 잃어버렸던 경험에 대해 써보자.

내가 다른 사람에게 동기를 부여했던 적이 있는가?

내적 동기와 외적 동기 중 무엇이 더 중요하다고 생각하는가?

10년 후의 나를 상상하는 것이 현재의 동기가 되는가?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

이유 is any reason, while 동기 is the specific psychological motivation behind an action.

Yes, but '동기를 부여하다' is much more natural and professional.

Yes, '범행 동기' refers to the motive for a crime.

You can use '자기 동기 부여' or '내적 동기'.

It means 'Reason for applying' or 'Motivation for the position'.

No, it can also mean 'peer' or 'classmate' who started at the same time.

It is used in both formal and informal settings, but is essential for formal writing.

Use '동기가 되다' (e.g., 그 책은 나에게 큰 동기가 되었다).

It is '내적 동기'.

動 (Move) + 機 (Trigger/Machine).

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