-다시피 하다

How It Works

Examples (4)

1. 여러분도 아시다시피, 이 문제는 간단하지 않습니다.

   As you all know, this problem is not simple.

   Word by Word: Everyone also as-know, this problem simple is not.

   This uses the first meaning of confirming shared knowledge with the verb 알다 (to know).

2. 요즘 너무 바빠서 점심을 굶다시피 일하고 있어요.

   I'm so busy these days that I'm working to the point of practically skipping lunch.

   Word by Word: These days too busy so lunch practically-skip am working.

   This uses the second meaning to exaggerate the action. The speaker doesn't literally skip lunch every single day, but it happens so often it feels that way.

3. 그는 거의 울다시피 하며 용서를 빌었다.

   He begged for forgiveness, practically crying.

   Word by Word: He almost practically-crying while forgiveness begged.

   This emphasizes the intensity of his begging; he was so emotional he was on the verge of tears.

4. 마감일 때문에 며칠 동안 집에도 못 가고 회사에서 살다시피 했어요.

   Because of the deadline, I couldn't go home for several days and practically lived at the office.

   Word by Word: Deadline because-of several days during home-to also not-able-to-go and office-at practically-lived.

   A classic example of the second meaning, exaggerating the amount of time spent at the office.

Common Mistakes

• Using -다시피 하다 with adjectives.

  Not Quite그녀는 예쁘다시피 해요.

  Better그녀는 모델처럼 예뻐요.

  -다시피 하다 must attach to a verb stem to describe an action. It cannot be used with adjectives to describe a state. To say someone is 'like' something, use -처럼.

• Confusing it with -듯이 for similes.

  Not Quite그는 새가 날다시피 달렸다.

  Better그는 새가 날아가듯이 달렸다.

  While both can seem similar, -듯이 ('as if', 'like') is used for similes to describe the manner of an action. -다시피 하다 is used to describe the extreme degree or frequency of an action. He ran like a bird flies (-듯이), he didn't practically fly (-다시피 하다).

Learn This First

To express 'as you know/practically', you need statement forms and 하다.

• 하다To Do, To Make

  This construction uses 하다.

Related Patterns

• -다시피As You Know, Practically

  This is the core of the first meaning ('as you know'). -다시피 하다 is an extension, but often the 하다 is dropped in this usage. Understanding -다시피 is essential for the 'confirmation' meaning.

• -듯이As if, Like

  Often confused. -듯이 means 'as if' or 'like', creating a simile to describe the manner of an action. -다시피 하다 describes the degree of an action, meaning it's done 'practically' or 'almost' to a certain point. 날아가듯이 뛰다 (run as if flying) vs. 회사에서 살다시피 일하다 (work so much you practically live at the office).

• -ㄴ/는 셈이다It's Like, Can Be Considered

  This pattern means 'it's like' or 'it can be considered as'. It's similar to the 'practically' meaning of -다시피 하다 but focuses more on a logical conclusion or calculation rather than the intensity of the action itself. 매일 갔으니까 다 간 셈이다 (Since I went every day, it's like I went to all of them).

• -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다Almost Did

  This means 'almost did something' (but didn't), usually a single near-miss event with a negative connotation (넘어질 뻔했다 - I almost fell). -다시피 하다 also means 'almost/practically', but it describes a continuous or repeated action done to an extreme, not a close call.

• -ㄴ/는 척하다Pretend to

  Means 'to pretend to'. While both patterns describe something that isn't literally true, -는 척하다 implies intentional deception (자는 척하다 - to pretend to be asleep), whereas -다시피 하다 is an exaggeration to describe an extreme reality (밤을 새우다시피 공부하다 - to study so much it's like staying up all night).

Words in This Pattern