-으리오
-eurio
how could...? (rhetorical)
A literary sentence-final ending used to emphasize, in a rhetorical question, that there is absolutely no possibility of something — 'how could it possibly be...?'.
Form
- Other shapes
- -리오
Meanings
- 1
A sentence-final ending used to say as if asking again to emphasize that there is no possibility.
가능성이 없음을 강조하여 반문하듯이 말함을 나타내는 종결 어미.
※ 주로 구어에서 혼잣말로 '어찌', '얼마나' 등의 부사와 함께 쓰고, 'ㄹ'을 제외한 받침 있는 동사와 형용사 또는 '-었-', '-겠-' 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
Examples
그 누가 아름다운 당신을 싫어하리오.
Who could possibly dislike someone as beautiful as you?
정든 친구를 어찌 쉽게 떠나보내리오.
How could I easily let go of a friend I've grown so fond of?
내가 어찌 당신을 옆에 두고 책만 읽으오리오.
How could I possibly just sit reading books with you right beside me?
서방님, 어서 떠나셔야 합니다. 내가 어찌 어머님과 부인을 두고 혼자 가리오.
My lord, you must leave at once. How could I possibly go alone, leaving my mother and my wife behind?
건강을 회복한다면 얼마나 좋으리오.
How wonderful it would be to recover my health.
스승님이 베풀어 주신 은혜를 내가 어찌 잊으리오.
How could I ever forget the kindness my teacher showed me?
Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.
Quick check
1. What does ‘-으리오’ mean?
2. Which form means “how could...? (rhetorical)”?