Nuance Dictionary / Grammar
대로 Daero
Doing or happening in exact accordance with a rule, plan, or stated word.
What does 대로 mean?
대로 (Daero) means: Doing or happening in exact accordance with a rule, plan, or stated word.
Speakers reach for this when mirroring rules, schedules, or spoken instructions without alteration. It pairs with verbs of action or speech such as 시키다, 배우다, and 말하다. It appears when a person follows directions precisely as given, or aligns an action with a stated expectation. In dialogue, a speaker might direct someone to execute a task exactly in the manner practiced or instructed.
Can carry a sense of strict adherence or literal compliance, depending on whether the preceding instruction is rigid or flexible.
Can carry a sense of strict adherence or literal compliance, depending on whether the preceding instruction is rigid or flexible.
Other sides of 대로
◆ Just As — Speakers use this to describe repeating an action precisely as observed, instructed, or felt, matching phrases like 보고 들은 대로 전하다, 시키는 대로 하다, and 배운 대로 하다. It also pairs with arrival or transition verbs like 도착하는 대로 and 출발하는 대로 to mark an immediate action following an event. In dialogue, a speaker gives reassurance or instruction by telling someone to do things '연습한 대로만 해' or pass along a message '들어오시는 대로'.
Can convey a sense of exact adherence or immediate compliance, ranging from careful replication of instructions to prompt reactions following an event.
◆ As Much As Possible — Speakers use this to express that an action or state has reached its maximum extent or limit. It frequently combines with words denoting ability or capacity, as seen in expressions like 할 수 있는 대로, 될 수 있는 대로, and 들 수 있는 대로. It also pairs with verbs indicating extreme states of fatigue or emotion, such as 지치다, 약해지다, 실망하다, and 화가 나다. It appears across informal and formal exchanges alike, anchoring statements about maximum effort or fully realized conditions.
When attached to emotional or physical states, this can feel heavy and absolute, emphasizing that a condition has gone as far as it possibly could.
Can convey a sense of exact adherence or immediate compliance, ranging from careful replication of instructions to prompt reactions following an event.
◆ As Much As Possible — Speakers use this to express that an action or state has reached its maximum extent or limit. It frequently combines with words denoting ability or capacity, as seen in expressions like 할 수 있는 대로, 될 수 있는 대로, and 들 수 있는 대로. It also pairs with verbs indicating extreme states of fatigue or emotion, such as 지치다, 약해지다, 실망하다, and 화가 나다. It appears across informal and formal exchanges alike, anchoring statements about maximum effort or fully realized conditions.
When attached to emotional or physical states, this can feel heavy and absolute, emphasizing that a condition has gone as far as it possibly could.
How it's actually used
- 강아지는 주인이 명령하는 대로 두 발을 들고 일어섰다.
gang-ajineun juin-i myeongryonghaneun daero du bal-eul deulgo ireoseotda.
The puppy stood up on its hind legs just as the owner commanded.
💡 A dog mirroring its owner's exact command. - 친구의 어머니는 친구에게 들은 대로 아름답고 마음이 따뜻하셨다.
ching-ui eomeonineun chinguege deureun daero areumdapgo maeum-i ttatteuthasyeotda.
The friend's mother was as beautiful and warm-hearted as the friend had described.
💡 A description matching someone's spoken account word for word. - 아내는 외국 잡지에서 본 대로 집을 꾸미겠다면서 새 가구를 사들였다.
anaeneun oeguk japjieseo bon daero jib-eul kkumigetdamyeonseo sa gagu-eul sadeulyeotda.
Saying she would decorate the house exactly as she saw in a foreign magazine, the wife bought new furniture.
💡 An action mirroring a visual reference precisely.