It seems that the word "하염" means "yawn" in the Jeolla province dialect, but I doubt that this is the same "하염" in "하염없다". It's also claimed that "하염" came from an old noun form of "하다" known as "하욤", but this has yet to be confirmed.
Etymology of '하염없이' - was there ever such a thing as a '하염'?
하염하염없이 is translated by naver dic as **blankly, vacantly**: > 그는 하염없이 벽만 바라보았다 - >He stared blankly at the wall. or **ceaselessly**: > 하염없이 걷다 - > walk endlessly A formation of *X-없이* would normally suggest that X would be a noun with some particular meaning, but there doesn't seem to be such a thing as a '하염'. Was there ever? if not, what's the origin of the word 하염없이?
Follow
1
Add comment
More
Report
1 Expert Answer
Still looking for help? Get the right answer, fast.
Ask a question for free
Get a free answer to a quick problem.
Most questions answered within 4 hours.
OR
Find an Online Tutor Now
Choose an expert and meet online. No packages or subscriptions, pay only for the time you need.