# 자리에 일어나



## 82riceballs

Hi everyone! 

I was listening to the song "Happy Things" by J Rabbit, and was hoping someone could help me with the first verse:
(I understand the rest of the song, but the first verse just kept bothering me hehe)

둥근 해가 뜨면 제일 먼저
기분 좋은 상상을 하지
하나 둘 셋! 자리에 일어나
하마처럼 입을 쫙~ 하품을 한 번하고 


1. I understand that the first two lines mean "When the round sun rises, the first thing I do is think/imagine happy thoughts" but I'm confused as to why they use 지...what do they mean by that?


2. What is the purpose of 자리? I know that 일어나다 means to get up...what does 자리에 일어나 mean?


Thanks in advance! Any help is appreciated


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## youngbuts

Hi

1. '-지' has many meanings and functions in Korean. In this case the position of '-지' is at the end of the sentence, so we can guess it is one of the ending words(종결어미) such as -다, -네, -죠,-요 etc. When we us -지 as the ending word, the sentence is meant to the speaker, not to the others. '-지' implies the speaker of the sentence is talking to oneself. Notice -지 also can be used in a requesting question or a kind of command. 노래 좀 불러보지?  밥 좀 먹지(그래). 


2. I think 자리 probalbly has been transtlated into a place in dictionaries. But originally from the view of etymology 자리 means a sitting mat(방석). The sitting mats had been very commonly used in Korea until few decades ago. We did not have bench, chair and bed culture. So whenever our ancestors sit down, they used 자리 or 방석. I guess that's why 자리에서 일어나 becomes a idiom. You can say 그녀는 침대에서/의자에서/쇼파에서 일어났다. And you can say 나는 일어났다. From the sentece, I know you stand up somewhere, but a little bit I feel somthing missing. I guess 자리에서 일어났다 more commonly used by Koreans when you want to say I get up or stand up.


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## 82riceballs

Wow thanks so much for your response! everything is clear now!


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## Superhero1

82riceballs said:


> 2. What is the purpose of 자리? I know that 일어나다 means to get up...what does 자리에 일어나 mean?



In this case, 자리 indicates one's bed, hence it means 'getting out of bed'.


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