오리무중

Sino-Korean word from 五里霧中 (“amid five leagues of mist”), from a discussion in the Chinese history Book of the Later Han about the Daoist master Zhang Kai (c. 80—c. 149), who was said to possess the supernatural ability to summon such a mist.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈo̞(ː)ɾimud͡ʑuŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [오(ː)리무중]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

오리무중 • (orimujung) (hanja 五里霧中)

1. (set phrase from Classical Chinese) being up in the air; a very uncertain and unclear situation

   김 군이 가출한지 열흘이 지났으나 여전히 행방은 오리무중이다.

   gim gun-i gachulhanji yeolheur-i jinasseuna yeojeonhi haengbang-eun orimujung'ida.

   Ten days have passed since Kim [a minor] ran away from home, but his whereabouts remain very uncertain.

   • 2020, Jeong Su-il, 우리 안의 실크로드 [The Silk Road Within Us], Changbi Publishers, →ISBN:

     유해의 손상이 심해 아무것도 식별할 수 없다는 실망스러운 결론이 내려졌다. 이로써 콜럼버스의 유해 시비는 오리무중에 빠졌다.

     Yuhae-ui sonsang-i simhae amugeot-do sikbyeolhal su eopda-neun silmangseureoun gyeollon-i naeryeojeotda. Irosseo Kolleombeoseu-ui yuhae sibi-neun orimujung-e ppajeotda.

     The disappointing verdict came that nothing was discernible due to excessive damage to the remains. With this, the dispute over Columbus's remains entered a state of uncertainty.

   • 2020, 윤신영, “국내 연구팀, 치매 발병 원인 새롭게 제시…치료제 개발에 도움 기대 [Korean research team proposes new cause of dementia onset... Anticipated to contribute to development of remedies]”, in Dong-a Ilbo:

     가장 흔한 치매는 환자의 3분의 2 이상을 차지하는 알츠하이머 치매인데, 원인이 오리무중이었다.

     Gajang heunhan chimae-neun hwanja-ui sambun-ui i isang-eul chajihaneun alcheuhaimeo chimae-inde, wonin-i orimujung-ieotda.

     The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's, which makes up more than two-thirds of patients, but its cause was up in the air.

   Synonym: 불명(不明)

2. (literally) a deep fog