시험
siheom · TOPIK 1
exam, test
📝 시험 = 試 (try) + 驗 (verify): an exam tries you out and verifies what you know
From hanja 試驗. 시 (試) is the same try/test syllable found in 시도 (attempt), and 험 (驗) is the verify syllable found in 경험 (experience) and 실험 (experiment). Sound hook: siheom is close to see-hum, as in see them hum nervously before a test.