# 칠부 바지와 팔부 바지



## slowlikemolasses

To what do the numbers 7 and 8 refer to in the terms 칠(七[7])부 바지 and 팔(八[8])부 바지?


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## Rance

They are Capri pants which are also called three-quarter pants in English.
In similar context, you can think 칠부바지 as six-seventh pants and 팔부바지 as  seven-eighth pants.
So 칠부바지 is shorter than 팔부바지.


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## slowlikemolasses

There's a less that two percent difference between 6/7 and 7/8. Is there an exact number associate with one 부 in this context?


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## esue

As I know, 부 means 10%. So when a pair of full-length pants are 100% or 10부 long (nobody says 10부 바지 though), shorter ones (mostly for ladies or children) can be called 9부 바지 (90% long: just covering your ankles), 8부바지 (80%: showing your ankles) or 7부 바지 (70% long, which will fall somewhere below your knees). I don't think there are other names such as 6부 or 4부, etc.

Same thing applies to sleeves. 7부 소매 is the only one used as opposed to 반소매 (short sleeves) or 민소매 (sleeveless).

부 as 10% is also used in calculating interest in the old way. 3부 이자 means 30% interest. 

Hope that helps.


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## slowlikemolasses

It does. Thanks.


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## Rance

Thank you for correction esue.
That three-quarter got into my mind haha.


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