Where does “임금” come from?

임금 (Korean) comes from Korean 님, from Old Korean nirim.

임금 (Korean): king; monarch; wages; Synonym of 능금

Definitions

  1. king; monarch; wages; Synonym of 능금

Ancestry of “임금”, step by step

임금 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Korean 님

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Korean님esteemed; Mr., Ms., Mrs; beloved; lord
2Old Koreannirim—

via Japanese 賃金

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese賃金wages
Every word from Old Korean nirim →Every word from Korean 님 →
임금 — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer