V + -(으)ㄹ락 말락 하다 (Be on the verge of, barely / intermittently)
Meaning: Be on the point of doing and not doing / alternate between doing and not doing / barely perceptible.
Conjugation & Pattern
- Verb with batchim + -을락 말락 하다
- Verb without batchim or ending in ㄹ + -ㄹ락 말락 하다
- Modifier form: V + -(으)ㄹ락 말락 한 + N
Detailed Usage
Describes an action hovering right on the threshold of happening (e.g., a leaf about to fall, the sun peeking through clouds, drifting in and out of sleep, or a barely audible voice).
Example Sentences
- 1
늦가을이라 마른 나뭇잎이 바람에 떨어질락 말락 한다.
Neutgaeurira mareun namusipi barame tteoreojillak mallak handa.
Since it is late autumn, the dry leaves are on the verge of falling in the wind.
- 2
잠이 겨우 들락 말락 하는데 전화벨이 울려서 깼다.
Jami gyeou deullak mallak haneunde jeonhwaberi ullyeoseo kkaetda.
Just as I was barely drifting off to sleep, the phone rang and woke me up.
- 3
승규는 들릴락 말락 한 작은 소리로 혼자 중얼거렸다.
Seunggyuneun deullillak mallak han jageun soriro honja jungeolgeoryeotda.
Seunggyu muttered to himself in a tiny, barely audible voice.
Important Notes
For ㄹ-stem verbs like 들다, it conjugates directly as 들락 말락 하다.
