N은커녕/는커녕
It is attached to a noun to strongly deny the content mentioned previously while showing that even more basic or easier content is not being satisfied. After the following noun, you should add postposition particles ‘도’, ‘조차’, and ‘마저’ and use a negative predicate.
가: 요즘 날씨가 너무 더운데 방에 에어컨이 잘 나와요?
It’s so hot these days. Is the air conditioner working well in your room?
나: 제 방에는 에어컨은커녕 선풍기도 없는데요.듣기
I don’t even have a fan in my room, let alone an air conditioner.
가: 반 친구가 사과하던가요?
Did your classmate apologize?
나: 사과는커녕 아는 척조차 안 하던데요.
He didn’t even pretend to know, let alone apologize.
가: 김치찌개 끓일 수 있어요?
Can you make kimchi stew?
나: 아니요, 김치찌개는커녕 라면도 못 끓여요.
No, I can’t even cook ramen, let alone kimchi stew.
Conversation:
오늘 자외선 지수가 높다는데 양산 챙겨 왔어?
I heard the UV index is high today, did you bring a parasol?
급하게 준비하느라고 양산은커녕 선글라스도 못 챙겼어.
I couldn’t even prepare sunglasses or a parasol because I was in a hurry.
그럴 줄 알고 내가 양산 가져왔지. 하얀색이라 시원해 보이지?
I thought you would, so I brought a parasol. It looks cool because it’s white, right?
양산은 하얀색을 살 게 아니라 검은색처럼 어두운 색을 샀어야지.
For a parasol, you should have purchased a dark one like black, not a white one.
하얀색 양산이 더 시원하지 않아? 검은색은 빛을 흡수하고 하얀색은 반사하잖아.
Isn’t the white parasol make you cooler? Black absorbs light and white reflects.
맞아. 그런데 하얀색은 땅에서 올라오는 열도 반사해서 그 열이 나한테 오거든.
You’re right. But white also reflects the heat from the ground, and it comes to me.
Related words
자외선 UV (ultraviolet rays)
지수 index
흡수 absorption
반사 reflection
Source: Yonsei University. Korean Language Institute