V+(으)랴

Table of content

Busy With

between A and B

Used to enumerate several actions that the speaker is trying hard to complete and the negative effect on the speaker, such as being tired or busy.

Example

음식 만들랴 집안 청소하랴 쉴 틈이 없다.

Between preparing food and cleaning the house, I can't get a second of rest.
어학당에서 공부하랴 회사에 다니랴 눈 코 뜰 새 없어요.

I'm busy as a bee between studying at language school and working at my job.

Used in informal language to forcefully and ironically support or refute an idea. Very similar to the rhetorical use of -겠어(요).

Example

웃는 낯에 침 뱉으랴.

Would you spit on a smiling face? (You can't treat someone badly who treats you well)
돈을 누가 마다하랴.

Who would turn down money?
공든 탑이 무너지랴.

Would a carefully-built tower collapse? (If you put all of your effort into what you do, the result cannot possibly be bad)

The 'rhetorical question' usage is common with proverbs, such as in the first and third example sentences.

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