-다시피
As You Know, Practically
-다시피 is a verb ending with two main uses: confirming shared knowledge ('as you know') or emphasizing the intensity of an action ('practically, almost').
How It Works
This pattern has two primary, distinct meanings that are important to differentiate.
1. Confirming Shared Information ('As you know/see...')
This usage is common with verbs related to perception, knowledge, or communication. It's a way to introduce a topic by acknowledging that the listener is already familiar with it. The most common forms are:
- 아시다시피 / 알다시피: As you know
- 보시다시피 / 보다시피: As you can see
- 들으시다시피 / 듣다시피: As you have heard
- 느끼시다시피 / 느끼다시피: As you feel
The honorific marker -시- is frequently included (e.g., 아시다시피) to show respect to the listener, whose knowledge you are referencing.
2. Emphasizing Intensity ('Practically/Almost')
This usage attaches to general action verbs and is typically followed by 하다. The structure is Verb Stem + -다시피 하다. It's a form of exaggeration to emphasize how much or how often an action was done. It implies the action was done to an extreme degree, almost to the exclusion of everything else.
- 매일 울다시피 했다. - I practically cried every day. (Meaning: I cried a lot and very often).
- 밥도 못 먹고 뛰다시피 일했다. - I couldn't even eat and worked as if I were running. (Meaning: I worked extremely quickly and frantically).
Conjugation:
It attaches directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.
- 가다 (to go) → 가다시피
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹다시피
- 살다 (to live) → 살다시피
Examples (4)
- 아시다시피, 저희 회사는 올해 큰 성공을 거두었습니다.
As you know, our company achieved great success this year.
Word by Word: As know, our company this year big success achieved.
Here, 아시다시피 is used to preface a statement that the listener is already aware of, creating a common ground.
- 보시다시피, 방이 아주 깨끗하게 정리되어 있습니다.
As you can see, the room is organized very cleanly.
Word by Word: As see, room very cleanly organized is.
보시다시피 points to something visually evident to both the speaker and the listener.
- 마감일 때문에 며칠 동안 밤을 새다시피 일했어요.
Because of the deadline, I worked for a few days, practically staying up all night.
Word by Word: Deadline because of for a few days night stay up-practically worked.
밤을 새다시피 일했어요 emphasizes the intensity of the work, implying the speaker got very little sleep, almost as if they stayed up all night every night.
- 그는 매일 회사에 살다시피 해요.
He practically lives at the office every day.
Word by Word: He every day at the office live-practically does.
This is an exaggeration meaning he spends a very long time at the office, almost as if he lives there.
Common Mistakes
Using -다시피 with adjectives instead of verbs.
Not Quite예쁘다시피, 그녀는 인기가 많아요.Better모두가 알다시피, 그녀는 인기가 많아요.-다시피 attaches only to verb stems, not adjective stems. To express a similar meaning, you need to rephrase the sentence using a verb like 알다 (to know) or 보다 (to see).
Using the 'practically' meaning without a following verb like 하다.
Not Quite저는 매일 뛰다시피.Better저는 매일 뛰다시피 운동해요.When -다시피 means 'practically' or 'almost', it is almost always part of the phrase 'V-다시피 하다' or followed by another verb. Using it alone at the end of a sentence is unnatural and incomplete.
Learn This First
To express 'as you know/practically', you need statement forms.
Related Patterns
- -듯이As if, Like
Both can mean 'like' or 'as if'. However, -다시피 often implies a stronger, more direct comparison or exaggeration ('practically'), while -듯이 is a more general simile ('as if'). For example, '날다시피 뛰었다' (ran practically flying) is a stronger emphasis than '나는 듯이 뛰었다' (ran as if flying).
- -ㄴ/는 셈이다It's Like, Can Be Considered
Both can express that something is 'practically' or 'as good as' something else. -는 셈이다 is more about calculation or conclusion ('it amounts to...'), while -다시피 하다 describes the intensity or frequency of an action. '매일 가는 셈이다' (It's like I go every day) is a conclusion, while '매일 가다시피 한다' (I practically go every day) emphasizes the high frequency.
- -잖아You Know, ... Right?
Both -다시피 (in its 'as you know' sense) and -잖아 are used to confirm information the listener is likely aware of. However, -다시피 is more formal and often used at the beginning of a clause, while -잖아 is a casual sentence ending.
- -ㄴ/는 척하다Pretend to
While -다시피 can mean 'as you know', it's important not to confuse it with patterns about pretense. -는 척하다 means to feign an action or state (e.g., 아는 척하다 - to pretend to know), whereas 알다시피 means 'as you (actually) know'.