This is the 1127th most frequent Korean word.
대체
"대체" means "substitution" or "replacement" in English.
Here, '대체' is used as an adverb to emphasize the '?' and is equivalent to 'on earth' or 'really' in English implying confusion or urgency.
이 문제를 대체 어떻게 해결해야 할까요?
How on earth should we solve this problem?
In this sentence, '대체' functions as a verb meaning 'to replace' or 'to substitute,' describing the action of exchanging one thing for another.
우리는 오래된 부품을 새 것으로 대체할 계획입니다.
We plan to replace the old parts with new ones.
Here, '대체' serves as an adverb meaning 'as a whole' or 'entirely,' questioning the overall authenticity of the statement.