돗대
[doet-dae]
lucky cig; last square
Meaning & context
한 개(단위를 셀 때)를 뜻하는 일본어 히토쯔로부터 유래된 단어. 이것이 한국에서는 돗으 로 변형되어 단위의 하나인 대와 결합되고, 마지막 담배 한 개피(다른 사람에게 빼앗겨서 는 안되는 것)를 의미하게 되었다. 혹은 한국의 당구게임, 4구에서 마지막 포인트를 의미 하기도 한다.
From the Japanese hitotse meaning “one” (when counting), this was altered to doet (돗) in Korean. Then added to the Korean dae (대), a marker for counting things. The combination is most often used to refer to a last cigarette (something that should not be given out to or taken by another and sometimes considered lucky) or the last point in a Korean four-ball billiards game.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 86–87. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
마지막 한 모금
English
One Last Puff
야 임마, 내 담배 어디갔어? 그거 내 돗대야!
Hey man, where are my cigarettes? That was my doetdae!
글쎄, 나한테 그걸 왜 물어? 난 담배 안 피잖아!
Well, what are you looking at me for? I don’t even smoke!
잠깐만. 민지 어디 갔어? 그 년! 걔는 맨날 내 담배 빌려가! 오, 그리고 이제는 담배 살 곳도 없다고! [1분뒤]
Wait a minute. Where is Minji? That bitch! She’s always bumming cigarettes! Oh, and there’s no place to buy them now! [1 minute later]
내 귀가 왜이리 간지럽지. 너네 무슨 얘기하고있었어?
My ears are itchy. What were you talking about?
담배 하나 빌려가는건 괜찮아, 하지만 그냥 가져가는거는 다르잖아! 그건 내 돗대였다고!
Bumming a cigarette is one thing, but taking them is something else! It was my doetdae!
뭐? 나 저번달에 담배 끊었자나! 너 분명히 네가 피워놓고 까먹은거야! 이 골초야!
What? I quit smoking last month! You must have smoked it and forgot! You golcho!
(흐느끼며) 나의 돗대, 나의 예쁜 돗대 어디간거야?
(Whimpering) My doetdae, where’s my pretty doetdae?
From the book: notes & culture
The Straight Scoop
내 귀가 왜이리 간지럽지 “My ears are itchy.” When someone is talking about you in your absence, your ears are said to be itchy. In America, your ears are said to ‘burn’ in such a case.
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