Word formation in Korean: the pieces words are built from
A long Korean word is rarely a new word. A library is picture, writing and building; a car park is stop, vehicle and place. A large part of Korean vocabulary is built from Sino-Korean syllables, each with a meaning of its own, and the native half has prefixes and endings of its own as well. English speakers have an advantage they seldom notice: the pieces go in the English order. Learn the 147 building blocks on this page, and new words start explaining themselves.
Read a compound from the back: the last piece says what the thing is, the ones before it say what kind. And watch for look-alikes: in Hangul two different Sino-Korean syllables can be written the same way, so the word, not the single syllable, is what to learn. Where a syllable sounds different from how it is spelt, the romanisation under each word shows it.
Sino-Korean syllables: one meaning, many words
A large part of Korean vocabulary is built from syllables taken from Chinese long ago. Each carries a meaning, and the same syllable turns up in dozens of words, at the front or at the back.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 학 | learning, study | 학교, 학생, 방학, 수학, 과학 |
| 학 means learning. In front it says what has to do with learning: 학교school학생student학년school year At the back it names a field: 수학mathematics (number-learning)과학science 방학, the school holidays, is literally “letting learning go”. | ||
| 생 | life, birth; raw; a student | 생일, 생활, 인생, 학생, 선생님 |
| 생 means to live or to be born: 생일birthday (birth-day)생활daily life인생a human life From there it came to mean raw, alive (생선, fresh fish) and a person who studies: 학생. 선생님, teacher, is “the one born first”. | ||
| 대 | big, great | 대학, 대회, 대부분, 확대, 대형 |
| 대 is big: 대학university (great learning)대회a contest or convention (big meeting)대부분most (the big part)대형large size확대enlargement Its opposite is 소. The counter for cars and machines, 차 한 대, is a different syllable that happens to look the same. | ||
| 소 | small | 소포, 소형, 최소, 소설, 축소 |
| 소 is small: 소포parcel (small package)소형compact size최소minimum축소reduction 소설, a novel, was originally “small talk”: stories, as against serious writing. The native word 소, a cow, is unrelated. | ||
| 중 | middle; heavy, important | 중학교, 중간, 중심, 중요, 체중 |
| Two syllables that look the same in Hangul. One means middle: 중학교 middle school, 중간 the middle, 중심 centre, 중국 China (the middle country), and 중 after a noun, “in the middle of”: 회의 중, in a meeting. The other means heavy, and so important: 중요하다to be important체중body weight | ||
| 인 | person, human | 인구, 인사, 인생, 인기, 인간 |
| 인 is a person. In front of another syllable: 인구 population (person-mouths), 인사 greeting, 인생 a human life, 인간 human being, and 인기, popularity, the spirit of people towards someone. At the end of a word it says where a person belongs — see the people below. | ||
| 국 | country | 한국, 외국, 국제, 국가, 국내 |
| 국 country: 한국Korea외국abroad (outside-country)국제international (between countries)국내domestic국가state Its sound changes with its neighbour: before a vowel the k moves on (한국어 [한구거]), before n or m it becomes ng (국내 [궁내]). The native word 국, soup, is unrelated. | ||
| 문 | writing; door | 문화, 문법, 신문, 정문, 창문 |
| Two different syllables written 문. One is writing: 문법grammar (writing-law)문화culture신문newspaper (new-writing)문자text message The other is a door: 정문 main gate, 창문 window, and 문 on its own. In Hangul only the word tells them apart. | ||
| 전 | electricity; before | 전화, 전기, 전자, 오전, 이전 |
| At least three syllables are written 전. Electricity, originally lightning: 전화telephone (electric speech)전기electricity전자electronic Before: 오전morning (before noon)이전earlier And whole: 전국, the whole country — see the prefixes below. | ||
| 시 | time; city; poem | 시간, 시계, 도시, 시청, 시인 |
| Time: 시간 time, an hour, 시계 clock, and 시 after a number, o’clock — with the native numbers: 세 시. City: 도시city시청city hall Poem: 시인 poet. Three syllables, one spelling. | ||
| 동 | move; east; same | 동물, 운동, 자동차, 동쪽, 동시 |
| Move: 동물animal (moving thing)운동exercise자동차car (self-moving vehicle) East: 동쪽. Same: 동시 the same time. In an address 동 is also a neighbourhood. | ||
| 식 | eating, food | 식당, 식사, 음식, 식품, 식후 |
| 식 eating: 식당 restaurant, canteen (eating-hall), 식사 a meal, 음식 food, 식품 foodstuffs, and 식후, after meals, on every medicine packet. The same sound is a ceremony in 결혼식 — a different syllable. | ||
| 교 | teach | 교실, 교사, 교육, 교과서, 교수 |
| 교 teach: 교실classroom교사teacher (the formal word)교육education교과서textbook교수professor The 교 of 학교 is a different syllable, meaning school — the meanings meet, the syllables do not. | ||
| 공 | public; empty, air; work | 공원, 공항, 공무원, 공장, 공짜 |
| Public: 공원park (public garden)공무원civil servant Empty, air: 공항airport (air-harbour)공기air공짜free of charge Work: 공장factory공사construction work And 공 on its own is a ball, or zero. | ||
| 출 | out, leaving | 출구, 출발, 출근, 외출, 수출 |
| 출 out: 출구exit출발departure출근going to work외출going out수출export Its opposite is 입: 입구, entrance. Station exits are numbered with the Sino-Korean numbers: 삼 번 출구. | ||
| 입 | in, entering | 입구, 입학, 입원, 입장, 수입 |
| 입 in: 입구entrance입학entering a school입원going into hospital입장admission 수입 is both import and income — something that comes in. 입학 is said [이팍]. The native word 입, mouth, is unrelated. | ||
| 내 | inside, within | 국내, 실내, 시내, 내용, 내부 |
| 내 inside: 국내within the country실내indoors시내the town centre (inside the city)내용content내부the interior The native 내, my, is unrelated. | ||
| 외 | outside, foreign | 외국, 외출, 해외, 외식, 실외 |
| 외 outside: 외국foreign country외출going out해외overseas외식eating out실외outdoors On the family tree it marks the mother’s side — see the prefixes below. | ||
| 상/하 | up, above / down, below | 이상, 이하, 지상, 지하, 상반기, 하반기 |
| 상 is up and 하 down: 지상 above ground and 지하 below it (지하철, the underground railway), 상반기 and 하반기 the first and second half of the year. After an amount, 이상 means “or more” and 이하 “or less” — both include the amount itself, unlike English “more than”. | ||
| 남/여 | male / female | 남자, 여자, 남성, 여성, 남학생, 여학생 |
| 남 male and 여 female: 남자, 여자, the formal 남성, 여성, and on toilet doors 남 and 여 alone. Inside a word, female is spelt 녀: 소녀girl장녀eldest daughter Korean drops an n at the start of a word — see the initial-sound rule at the end of this page. | ||
Places and companies: the last syllable says what kind
A room, a building, an institution, a shop, a company: the last syllable names the kind of place, the ones before it say what it is for.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -실 | a room for one activity | 교실, 화장실, 사무실, 회의실, 연구실 |
| A room with a door, named by what happens in it: 교실 classroom, 화장실 toilet (make-up room), 사무실 office, 회의실 meeting room, 연구실 laboratory, a lecturer’s office. A room in a home is the everyday word 방. | ||
| -관 | a public building with one purpose | 도서관, 박물관, 영화관, 미술관, 대사관 |
| The purpose comes first, as in English: 도서관library (book-building)박물관museum미술관art gallery영화관cinema대사관embassy 박물관 is said [방물관]. | ||
| -원 | an institution where people are taught or cared for | 학원, 대학원, 법원, 유치원, 요양원 |
| 병원hospital (illness-institution)유치원kindergarten대학원graduate school법원court of law요양원care home 학원 is the private school many Korean children go to after the school day, for English, maths, music or art. | ||
| -장 | an open place for one activity | 운동장, 주차장, 수영장, 경기장, 공연장 |
| 운동장 sports ground, 주차장 car park, 수영장 swimming pool, 경기장 stadium, 공연장 concert venue, and 시장, market. At the end of a job title the same sound is the head of something (사장) — a different syllable; see the people below. | ||
| -점 | a shop, a branch | 서점, 편의점, 백화점, 음식점, 지점 |
| 서점 bookshop, 편의점 convenience store, 백화점 department store, 음식점 restaurant, 지점 branch (of a bank, a chain). A sign reading 본점 marks the original shop of a chain. | ||
| -소 | a place where a service is done; an office | 연구소, 주유소, 세탁소, 사무소, 휴게소 |
| 주유소petrol station (oil-filling place)세탁소dry cleaner’s연구소research institute사무소office휴게소motorway service area Not the 소 that means small, which stands in front. | ||
| -국 | a public office, a bureau | 우체국, 방송국, 약국 |
| 우체국post office약국chemist’s (medicine office)방송국broadcasting station It looks like the 국 of 한국 but is a different syllable: here an office, there a country. | ||
| -당 | a hall where people gather | 식당, 강당, 성당 |
| 식당 restaurant, canteen (eating-hall), 강당assembly hall성당a Catholic church A Protestant church is 교회. | ||
| -방 | a room; a small business renting rooms | 노래방, 찜질방, 만화방, 빨래방 |
| 방 is a room, and after another noun a small business where you rent one: 노래방 karaoke room, 찜질방 a large sauna where people relax, eat and even sleep, 만화방a comic-book café빨래방a self-service launderette | ||
| -지 | a place with a purpose | 관광지, 목적지, 출발지, 휴양지 |
| 지 is land, ground: 관광지tourist spot목적지destination출발지place of departure휴양지holiday resort Paper is a different 지 — see the things below. | ||
| -사 | a company | 여행사, 출판사, 신문사, 항공사 |
| 회사 company is the general word; with a business in front: 여행사travel agency출판사publisher신문사newspaper company항공사airline The same sound names a professional — 의사, 간호사 — with a different syllable. | ||
Things, papers and money
Machines, tickets, documents, fees and medicines are named the same way: what it is comes last, what it does comes first.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -기 | a machine, a device | 세탁기, 청소기, 선풍기, 비행기, 계산기 |
| What it does comes first: 세탁기washing machine청소기vacuum cleaner선풍기electric fan (fan-wind machine)계산기calculator비행기aeroplane (flying machine) Several other syllables are also read 기; two of them follow on this page. | ||
| -고 | a store, a place for keeping things | 냉장고, 창고, 금고, 차고 |
| 냉장고fridge (cold-keeping store)창고warehouse금고safe (money store)차고garage | ||
| -권 | a ticket, a voucher | 입장권, 상품권, 여권, 승차권, 할인권 |
| Something that gives a right: 입장권admission ticket승차권travel ticket상품권gift voucher할인권discount coupon여권passport (a travel ticket) The 권 of 인권, human rights, and the counter for books, 책 한 권, are different syllables. | ||
| -표 | a ticket; a table, a chart | 차표, 기차표, 번호표, 시간표, 성적표 |
| Two syllables written 표 meet here. One is a ticket: 차표, 기차표, and 번호표, the numbered slip a machine gives you at a bank. The other is a table or chart: 시간표timetable성적표school report 표 alone is a ticket: 표 두 장, two tickets. | ||
| -비 | a cost, an expense | 교통비, 생활비, 숙박비, 식비, 학비 |
| A cost you pay for something regular: 교통비fares식비food costs생활비living costs학비school fees숙박비accommodation Close to 료 below: 비is what living costs료the fee charged for a service | ||
| -료 | a fee charged for a service | 입장료, 수수료, 보험료, 사용료, 수업료 |
| 입장료admission fee수수료handling charge보험료insurance premium사용료charge for use수업료tuition At the start of a word the syllable loses its r: 요금, a charge or fare. | ||
| -금 | money | 등록금, 장학금, 현금, 상금, 보증금 |
| 현금cash등록금tuition fees장학금scholarship상금prize money보증금deposit벌금a fine 금 alone is gold, and 금요일, Friday, is gold-day. | ||
| -품 | goods, an article | 작품, 화장품, 식품, 기념품, 생필품 |
| 제품 product, 상품 merchandise, 화장품 cosmetics, 식품 foodstuffs, 기념품 souvenir, 생필품 everyday necessities, and 작품 a work (of art). 품질, quality, is the nature of the goods. | ||
| -물 | a thing, a creature | 건물, 식물, 해산물, 우편물, 작물 |
| 건물building (built thing)동물animal식물plant해산물seafood우편물post작물crops The native word 물, water, sounds the same; this one only appears inside words. | ||
| -지 | paper | 포장지, 시험지, 신문지, 편지지 |
| 포장지 wrapping paper, 시험지 exam paper, 신문지 newspaper (as paper, for wrapping), 편지지 writing paper, and 휴지, tissue or toilet paper. The everyday word for paper is native: 종이. | ||
| -서 | a document, a book | 신청서, 계약서, 보고서, 이력서, 교과서 |
| 신청서application form계약서contract보고서report이력서CV교과서textbook Most forms in an office end in it. | ||
| -증 | a document that proves something; a card | 학생증, 영수증, 자격증, 신분증, 운전면허증 |
| 영수증receipt학생증student card신분증ID card자격증certificate of qualification운전면허증driving licence The 증 of 증상, symptom, is a different syllable. | ||
| -차 | a vehicle | 자동차, 기차, 소방차, 구급차, 전기차 |
| 자동차car기차train (steam vehicle)소방차fire engine구급차ambulance전기차electric car The same syllable is read differently in one word: 자전거, bicycle. And 차 alone is a car — and tea, another syllable. | ||
| -용 | for the use of | 학생용, 가정용, 일회용, 업무용, 어린이용 |
| 학생용for students가정용for home use업무용for business어린이용for children일회용disposable (for one use) It can follow almost any noun, which makes it one of the commonest endings on packaging. | ||
| -제 | a preparation, a substance that does one job | 소화제, 진통제, 해열제, 수면제, 영양제 |
| 소화제indigestion remedy진통제painkiller해열제medicine for a fever수면제sleeping pill영양제supplement Medicine is taken by eating it in Korean: 약을 먹다. | ||
Languages, subjects, events and times
A language, a field of study, a hospital department, a gathering, a ceremony, a season: abstract things follow the same pattern.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -어 | a language | 한국어, 외국어, 중국어, 일본어, 스페인어 |
| 한국어 Korean, 외국어 foreign language, 중국어, 일본어, and 영어, English. In speech 말 is just as common: 한국말. The final consonant links on: 한국어 is [한구거]. | ||
| -학 | a field of study, -ology | 경제학, 심리학, 언어학, 사회학, 수학 |
| 경제학economics심리학psychology언어학linguistics사회학sociology수학mathematics문학literature 심리학 is said [심니학]: after m, ㄹ becomes n. | ||
| -과 | a department (of a hospital, a university) | 내과, 외과, 소아과, 치과, 안과 |
| 내과internal medicine (inside-department)외과surgery소아과paediatrics치과dentist’s안과eye clinic Small clinics in Korea are named after their department. At a university: 영문과, the English department. | ||
| -회 | a gathering, an event | 송년회, 동창회, 전시회, 운동회, 설명회 |
| 송년회end-of-year party동창회school reunion전시회exhibition운동회school sports day설명회information session 회식, a meal out with colleagues, uses the same syllable. Raw fish, 회, is another word. | ||
| -식 | a ceremony; a style | 결혼식, 졸업식, 입학식, 시상식, 서양식 |
| 결혼식wedding졸업식graduation입학식school entrance ceremony시상식awards ceremony The same syllable means a style: 서양식Western-style뷔페식buffet-style Spring is the season of 입학식, because the Korean school year begins in March. | ||
| -식 | a cuisine | 한식, 양식, 중식, 일식, 분식 |
| The syllable for eating from the top of this page, at the end of a word: 한식Korean food양식Western food중식Chinese food일식Japanese food분식cheap snack food made with flour or rice cakes Restaurant signs use these words to say what they serve. | ||
| -법 | a way of doing something; a law | 방법, 문법, 요리법, 사용법, 헌법 |
| 방법method문법grammar요리법recipe사용법instructions for use헌법constitution 법 alone is the law; after a verb with -는 it is the way to do it: 먹는 법, how to eat it. | ||
| -기 | a period of time | 학기, 사춘기, 성수기, 비수기 |
| 학기 school term, semester, 사춘기adolescence성수기high season비수기low season One more 기 to keep apart from the machines. | ||
| -철 | the season when something happens | 장마철, 휴가철, 김장철, 이사철 |
| 철 is a native word for season: 장마철the summer rainy season휴가철the holiday season김장철the weeks in late autumn when families make kimchi for the winter이사철the season when people move house 철 alone can also be iron — another word. | ||
| -일 | a day | 생일, 휴일, 공휴일, 기념일, 평일 |
| 생일birthday휴일day off공휴일public holiday기념일anniversary평일weekday (ordinary day) The days of the week all end in it: 월요일, 화요일. 일 also means one, and work. | ||
| -초/-말 | the beginning / the end of a period | 연초, 연말, 월초, 월말, 주말, 학기말 |
| 초 the beginning and 말 the end: 연초 and 연말, the start and end of the year, 월초 and 월말 of the month, 학기말 the end of term, and 주말, the weekend. The native 말, word or horse, is unrelated. | ||
People: who does it
A handful of Sino-Korean endings name a person by job, role or group, each with its own shade of respect.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -자 | a person who does something, -er | 학자, 기자, 과학자, 소비자, 참가자 |
| The commonest way to turn an activity into the person who does it, in a neutral or formal tone: 기자journalist (recording person)학자scholar과학자scientist소비자consumer참가자participant | ||
| -가 | someone who has made a field their own, -ist | 작가, 음악가, 전문가, 건축가, 소설가 |
| 작가writer화가painter음악가musician전문가expert건축가architect소설가novelist It carries more prestige than 자. It is the syllable of 가족, family, and 가정, home. | ||
| -사 | a trained professional | 의사, 간호사, 변호사, 요리사, 미용사 |
| 의사doctor간호사nurse변호사lawyer요리사cook미용사hairdresser In address a title is added: a doctor is 의사 선생님. | ||
| -원 | a member of staff | 회사원, 은행원, 공무원, 직원, 연구원 |
| Someone who belongs to an organisation: 회사원office worker은행원bank clerk공무원civil servant직원employee연구원researcher Not the 원 of 병원, and not 원, the currency. | ||
| -인 | a person, by where they belong | 외국인, 직장인, 연예인, 노인, 일반인 |
| 외국인 foreigner, 직장인 someone in regular employment, 연예인 entertainer, celebrity, 노인 elderly person, 일반인 ordinary people, as against experts or celebrities. In conversation 사람 is often used instead: 한국 사람 rather than 한국인. | ||
| -생 | a student | 대학생, 유학생, 신입생, 졸업생, 고등학생 |
| 대학생university student고등학생secondary school student유학생student from abroad신입생first-year student졸업생graduate It is the second half of 학생 itself. | ||
| -장 | the head of something | 사장, 교장, 부장, 팀장, 반장 |
| 사장 company president, and the polite way to address any shop owner; 교장head teacher부장head of department팀장team leader반장class representative With 님 they are forms of address — calling a manager by name alone would be rude. | ||
| -님 | respect for a person or a title | 선생님, 사장님, 부모님, 고객님 |
| 선생님 teacher, 사장님 boss, 부모님 parents, 고객님 valued customer, and 손님, guest or customer, which has kept it so long that the word without it is rare. A name takes 씨 instead, written as a separate word: 민수 씨. Nobody uses 님 about themselves. | ||
| -관 | an official | 경찰관, 외교관, 소방관, 감독관 |
| 경찰관police officer소방관firefighter외교관diplomat감독관inspector It looks like the 관 of 도서관 and is a different syllable. | ||
| -객 | a visitor, someone who comes from outside | 관광객, 승객, 방문객, 관객 |
| 관광객tourist승객passenger방문객visitor관객audience | ||
| -수 | a person skilled with their hands, a player | 가수, 선수, 투수, 목수 |
| 수 is hand: 가수 singer, 선수 athlete, player, 투수pitcher목수carpenter | ||
| -민 | the people of a place | 시민, 국민, 주민, 난민 |
| 시민citizens of a city국민the people of a country주민residents난민refugees | ||
| -진 | a team, the staff as a group | 의료진, 교수진, 제작진, 연구진 |
| 의료진medical staff교수진faculty제작진production team연구진research team The news uses it constantly. | ||
| -단 | an organised group | 합창단, 봉사단, 관광단, 기자단 |
| 합창단choir봉사단volunteer group관광단tour group기자단press corps | ||
Native endings for people and habits
Native Korean has its own endings for people with a habit, often teasing or disapproving, and for actions done with a tool.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -꾼 | someone who does a thing habitually | 일꾼, 장사꾼, 낚시꾼, 구경꾼, 사기꾼 |
| Often with a touch of disapproval: 장사꾼trader (a little too keen on money)구경꾼onlooker사기꾼con artist낚시꾼angler 일꾼, a hard worker, is praise. | ||
| -쟁이 | someone with a quality in excess | 거짓말쟁이, 겁쟁이, 욕심쟁이, 멋쟁이, 수다쟁이 |
| 거짓말쟁이 liar, 겁쟁이 coward, 욕심쟁이 greedy person, 수다쟁이 chatterbox, and, kindly, 멋쟁이 a stylish person. A craftsman takes 장이, without the y: 대장장이, blacksmith. The spelling keeps the habit and the craft apart. | ||
| -보 | a person given to something (teasing) | 울보, 잠보, 먹보, 겁보 |
| Mostly said of children, and fondly: 울보crybaby잠보sleepyhead먹보greedy-guts겁보scaredy-cat | ||
| -꾸러기 | a person, usually a child, full of something | 장난꾸러기, 잠꾸러기, 욕심꾸러기, 말썽꾸러기 |
| 장난꾸러기little rascal잠꾸러기sleepyhead말썽꾸러기troublemaker Fond rather than harsh. | ||
| -질 | the action done with a tool; a disapproved habit | 바느질, 걸레질, 가위질, 손가락질, 도둑질 |
| After a tool or a body part it names the action: 바느질sewing (needle-work)걸레질mopping가위질cutting with scissors손가락질pointing at someone in blame After other nouns it disapproves: 도둑질 stealing. Said of someone’s job it sounds dismissive, so use it with care. | ||
| -들 | plural | 사람들, 학생들, 친구들, 우리들 |
| Korean uses it far less than English uses -s. With a number it is usually left out (학생 세 명), and with things it often sounds odd: how many is left to the context. With people it is common. | ||
Abstract nouns: -ity, -ness, -isation, -ic
Quality, ability, feeling, degree, rate, change and point of view: Korean grows these words the way scientific English does.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -성 | a quality, -ity, -ness | 가능성, 중요성, 안전성, 인간성, 정체성 |
| 가능성possibility중요성importance안전성safety인간성humanity정체성identity A possibility in Korean is high or low (가능성이 높다), not great or small. | ||
| -력 | power, capacity | 기억력, 집중력, 상상력, 경쟁력, 체력 |
| 기억력memory (power to remember)집중력concentration상상력imagination경쟁력competitiveness체력stamina After a consonant its ㄹ is said n: 기억력 [기엉녁]. At the start of a word it has none: 역량, capability. | ||
| -감 | a feeling, a sense of | 책임감, 자신감, 만족감, 긴장감, 소속감 |
| 책임감sense of responsibility자신감self-confidence만족감satisfaction긴장감tension소속감sense of belonging The same syllable as 감정, emotion. | ||
| -도 | a degree, a measure | 온도, 습도, 속도, 만족도, 인지도 |
| 온도temperature습도humidity속도speed만족도level of satisfaction인지도name recognition After a number it is the unit: 삼십 도, thirty degrees. | ||
| -율/-률 | a rate | 확률, 합격률, 실업률, 출생률, 환율 |
| 확률probability합격률pass rate실업률unemployment rate환율exchange rate The spelling follows the sound before it: 율 after a vowel or ㄴ (비율, ratio; 환율), 률 after any other consonant (확률, 합격률). | ||
| -화 | becoming something, -isation | 국제화, 세계화, 자동화, 현대화, 디지털화 |
| 국제화internationalisation세계화globalisation자동화automation현대화modernisation디지털화digitisation With 되다 or 하다 it becomes a verb: 자동화되다. | ||
| -적 | -ic, -al: about, relating to | 경제적, 사회적, 역사적, 개인적, 적극적 |
| 경제적 economic, economical, 역사적 historical, 개인적 personal, 적극적 active, keen. It works three ways: before a noun as it is (역사적 사건), with 이다 as a description (경제적이에요), and with 으로 as an adverb (개인적으로, personally). It never takes 하다. | ||
| -관 | a view, an outlook | 가치관, 인생관, 세계관, 역사관 |
| 가치관 one’s values, 인생관 outlook on life, 세계관 world view — and, for films and games, the world a story is set in. A third 관, after the buildings and the officials. | ||
| -난 | a shortage, a difficulty | 취업난, 주차난, 식량난, 전세난 |
| 취업난shortage of jobs주차난shortage of parking식량난food shortage전세난shortage of homes to rent on a lump-sum deposit A favourite of news headlines. | ||
Nouns made from verbs and adjectives
Three endings turn a verb or an adjective into a noun: the result, the activity, the measurement — and one more makes the tool.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -음 | a noun from a verb: the result | 웃음, 울음, 믿음, 꿈, 잠, 춤 |
| 음 after a consonant, and a bare ㅁ after a vowel: 웃다 → 웃음 laughter, 울다 → 울음 crying, 믿다 → 믿음 faith, 꾸다 → 꿈 dream, 자다 → 잠 sleep, 추다 → 춤 dance. Noun and verb often go together: 꿈을 꾸다, 잠을 자다, 춤을 추다. | ||
| -기 | a noun from a verb: the activity | 달리기, 읽기, 쓰기, 듣기, 말하기 |
| 달리기running (as a sport)듣기listening읽기reading쓰기writing말하기speaking — the four skills of every language course Where 음 names the result (a laugh, a dream), 기 names the doing. | ||
| -이 | a measurement from an adjective | 높이, 길이, 넓이, 깊이, 먹이 |
| 높다 → 높이 height, 길다 → 길이 length, 넓다 → 넓이 area, 깊다 → 깊이 depth. After a verb it can make a thing: 먹다 → 먹이, animal feed. Read aloud, the final consonant moves on: 깊이 [기피]. | ||
| -개 | the tool that does it | 지우개, 덮개, 베개, 병따개, 이쑤시개 |
| After a verb stem: 지우다 erase → 지우개 rubber, 덮다 cover → 덮개 lid, cover, 베다 rest one’s head on → 베개pillow병따개bottle opener이쑤시개toothpick The counter 개, as in 사과 두 개, is another word. | ||
Native prefixes
Bare, empty, first, new, huge, unripe, raw, extra: short native pieces in front of a noun, most of them written together with it.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 맨- | bare, with nothing on it | 맨손, 맨발, 맨눈, 맨얼굴, 맨바닥 |
| 맨손bare hands맨발bare feet맨눈the naked eye맨얼굴a face without make-up맨바닥the bare floor Written together with its noun. A different 맨, “the very”, stands apart: 맨 앞, the very front. | ||
| 헛- | empty, to no purpose | 헛소리, 헛걸음, 헛수고, 헛기침 |
| 헛소리nonsense헛걸음a wasted trip헛수고wasted effort헛기침a little cough to get attention | ||
| 첫- | first | 첫사랑, 첫눈, 첫날, 첫차, 첫해 |
| 첫사랑first love첫눈the first snow of winter첫날the first day첫차the first bus or train of the day첫해the first year Before n its t becomes n: 첫눈 [천눈]. | ||
| 새- | new (in a few compounds) | 새해, 새것, 새집, 새신랑 |
| 새, new, is usually a separate word: 새 옷, 새 차, 새 친구. Only a few compounds write it together: 새해 the New Year, 새것 something new, 새신랑 a new bridegroom, and 새집, a new house — or a bird’s nest. The greeting wishes someone a lot of luck in the year ahead. | ||
| 왕- | king-size; extremely (casual) | 왕만두, 왕새우, 왕초보, 왕짜증 |
| 왕 is a king, and in front of a noun it makes it extra large: 왕만두giant dumpling왕새우king prawn In casual speech it also means extremely: 왕초보a complete beginner왕짜증massive irritation | ||
| 풋- | green, unripe; inexperienced | 풋사과, 풋고추, 풋내기, 풋사랑 |
| 풋사과a green apple풋고추a green chilli Said of people it means inexperienced: 풋내기a novice풋사랑puppy love | ||
| 날- | raw, uncooked | 날것, 날고기, 날달걀, 날생선 |
| 날것raw food날고기raw meat날달걀a raw egg날생선raw fish Not the native 날, day. | ||
| 군- | extra, more than is needed | 군것질, 군살, 군소리, 군침 |
| 군것질 snacking between meals, 군살 excess flesh, 군소리 needless talk, and 군침, the saliva at the sight of food: 군침이 돌다, to make one’s mouth water. | ||
| 덧- | added on top | 덧신, 덧니, 덧버선 |
| 덧신overshoes덧니a tooth grown over another덧버선socks worn over socks덧칠a second coat of paint 덧니 is said [던니]. | ||
| 한- | the height of, the very middle of | 한겨울, 한낮, 한밤중, 한가운데 |
| 한겨울the depth of winter한낮midday한밤중the middle of the night한가운데the very centre A native word, not the 한 of 한국. The word for midsummer is said hannyeoreum, with an inserted n. | ||
Prefixes that negate
Not, non-, without, not yet and against: where English reaches for un-, non-, -less or anti-.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 불- | not, un- | 불가능, 불규칙, 불친절, 불확실, 불만족 |
| 불가능 impossible, 불규칙 irregular, 불친절하다 unfriendly, 불확실하다 uncertain, and two everyday words: 불편하다 uncomfortable, inconvenient, and 불안하다 anxious. Before ㄷ or ㅈ it becomes 부 — see the next entry. | ||
| 부- | not, un- (before d and j) | 부정확, 부주의, 부족, 부적절, 부자연스럽다 |
| The same “not” as 불, said 부 before a syllable that begins with ㄷ or ㅈ: 부정확하다inaccurate부주의carelessness부족하다to be lacking부적절하다inappropriate The rule is old and sits in the spelling. | ||
| 비- | non- | 비공식, 비정상, 비현실적, 비흡연자, 비상식적 |
| 비공식unofficial비정상abnormal비흡연자non-smoker비현실적unrealistic It negates a category where 불 negates a quality — much like English non- against un-. | ||
| 무- | without, -less | 무료, 무선, 무제한, 무관심, 무책임 |
| 무료free of charge (without a fee)무선wireless무제한unlimited무관심indifference무책임하다irresponsible Its opposite is 유, with: 유료, charged for. | ||
| 미- | not yet | 미완성, 미성년자, 미혼, 미해결, 미개봉 |
| 미완성 unfinished, 미성년자 minor (not yet of age), 미혼 unmarried, 미해결 unsolved, 미개봉 unopened, in a second-hand advert. The thing has not happened yet — it is not ruled out. | ||
| 반- | against, anti- | 반비례, 반사회적, 반작용 |
| 반비례 inverse proportion, 반사회적 antisocial, 반작용 reaction (in physics), and the everyday 반대, opposition: 반대하다, to be against. A different 반 means half — see below. | ||
Prefixes of size, degree and time
Big, small, high, low, super, most, new, again, whole, total, every and half.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 대- | big, great | 대도시, 대가족, 대성공, 대규모, 대청소 |
| 대도시big city대가족extended family대성공a great success대규모large-scale대청소a big clean The syllable from the top of the page, used as a prefix. | ||
| 소- | small | 소도시, 소규모, 소극장, 소가족 |
| 소도시small town소규모small-scale소극장small theatre소가족small family The pairs with 대 are regular: 대규모 and 소규모, 대도시 and 소도시. | ||
| 고- | high | 고급, 고혈압, 고소득, 고학력, 고품질 |
| 고급 high-class, 고혈압 high blood pressure, 고소득 high income, 고품질 high quality, and 고속 high-speed: 고속도로, the motorway. Its opposite is 저. | ||
| 저- | low | 저지방, 저칼로리, 저소득, 저혈압, 저출산 |
| 저지방low-fat저칼로리low-calorie저소득low income저혈압low blood pressure저출산a low birth rate Not 저, I, and not 저, that over there. | ||
| 초- | super-, ultra- | 초고속, 초대형, 초능력, 초미세먼지 |
| 초고속ultra-high-speed초대형extra-large초능력superpower 초미세먼지, ultrafine dust, is in every weather forecast. Other syllables read 초 mean a second, and the beginning (연초). | ||
| 최- | most, the superlative | 최고, 최저, 최신, 최초, 최근 |
| 최고 the best, the highest, 최저the lowest최신the newest최초the very first최근recent 최고예요 is the everyday “it’s the best”. | ||
| 신- | new (in Sino-Korean words) | 신제품, 신세대, 신기록, 신도시, 신혼 |
| 신제품new product신기록new record신세대the new generation신도시new town신혼newly married life In everyday talk the native 새 is used: 새 제품. | ||
| 재- | re-, again | 재활용, 재사용, 재시험, 재입국, 재방송 |
| 재활용recycling재사용reuse재시험resit재입국re-entry재방송repeat broadcast It goes with Sino-Korean nouns; with verbs, again is 다시. | ||
| 전- | whole, all | 전국, 전체, 전교생, 전신 |
| 전국the whole country전체the whole전교생all the pupils of a school전신the whole body Before most other nouns it is a separate word: 전 세계, the whole world. | ||
| 총- | total, all together | 총액, 총점, 총인원 |
| 총액total amount총점total score총인원total number of people On a bill it can stand alone before the amount. | ||
| 매- | every | 매일, 매주, 매달, 매년, 매번 |
| 매일every day매주every week매달every month매년every year매번every time It goes with native words as well: 달, month, is native. | ||
| 반- | half | 반값, 반팔, 반바지, 반나절, 반년 |
| 반값half price반팔short sleeves (half arm)반바지shorts (half trousers)반나절half a day반년half a year Not the 반 of 반대, against. | ||
Family, origin and style
Korean names each side of the family with its own prefix, and marks what is Korean and what came from the West.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 시- | the husband’s family | 시부모, 시어머니, 시아버지, 시댁, 시누이 |
| Seen from the wife: 시어머니mother-in-law시아버지father-in-law시부모parents-in-law시댁the husband’s family home시누이the husband’s sister Korean has a separate set of words for each side of a marriage, where English says in-law for all. | ||
| 처- | the wife’s family | 처가, 처남, 처제 |
| Seen from the husband: 처가the wife’s family home처남the wife’s brother처제the wife’s younger sister The wife’s parents are 장인 and 장모. | ||
| 외- | on the mother’s side | 외할머니, 외할아버지, 외삼촌, 외가, 외손자 |
| 외, outside, marks the mother’s side: 외할머니 and 외할아버지, the mother’s parents, 외삼촌the mother’s brother외가her family home The words go back to a time when the family was counted through the father; many people now just say 할머니 for both. | ||
| 친- | one’s own, by blood; on the father’s side | 친할머니, 친할아버지, 친형, 친오빠 |
| 친할머니 the father’s mother, 친형 or 친오빠 one’s real elder brother — said because 형 and 오빠 are also used for older friends. For a married woman, 친정 is her own parents’ home. A different 친 means friendly to: 친환경, eco-friendly. | ||
| 양- | Western, from across the sea | 양복, 양식, 양말, 양파, 양주 |
| 양, the ocean, came to mean Western — what arrived from across the sea: 양복a suit양식Western food양주Western spirits Two everyday words hide it: 양말 socks and 양파 onion. | ||
| 한- | Korean | 한복, 한옥, 한약, 한우 |
| 한 as in 한국: 한복 traditional Korean clothing, 한옥 a traditional house, 한약 traditional medicine, 한우 Korean beef, and 한식 Korean food. The 한 of 한겨울 is a different, native word. | ||
Verbs from nouns: do, become, make someone do
A noun with a light verb behind it becomes a verb, a passive, a causative, or a humble form.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -하다 | do: makes a verb from a noun of action | 공부하다, 운동하다, 청소하다, 요리하다, 전화하다 |
| 공부 study → 공부하다, 운동 → 운동하다, 청소 → 청소하다 to clean. Thousands of verbs are made this way, borrowed words included: 쇼핑하다. Many can also be split with an object particle, which is a little more emphatic: 공부를 하다. The polite present is always 해요. | ||
| -되다 | become: the passive of a hada-verb | 시작되다, 진행되다, 결정되다, 연결되다, 취소되다 |
| 시작하다 to start (something) → 시작되다 to begin, 결정하다 → 결정되다 to be decided, 취소하다 → 취소되다 to be cancelled. English uses one verb both ways (the meeting started; she started the meeting); Korean chooses: 회의가 시작됐어요, 회의를 시작했어요. | ||
| -시키다 | make someone do: the causative | 입원시키다, 연습시키다, 이해시키다, 화해시키다, 결혼시키다 |
| 연습하다 practise → 연습시키다 make someone practise, 입원하다 → 입원시키다admit to hospital이해시키다make someone understand In speech it is often used where plain 하다 would do — 소개시키다 for 소개하다, to introduce — and careful writers avoid that. | ||
| -받다 | receive: a passive for good things | 사랑받다, 인정받다, 칭찬받다, 초대받다, 상처받다 |
| 사랑받다to be loved칭찬받다to be praised초대받다to be invited인정받다to be recognised상처받다to be hurt It is the natural way to say “be praised”: a passive of 칭찬하다 is not used in everyday speech. | ||
| -당하다 | suffer: a passive for bad things | 무시당하다, 거절당하다, 사기당하다, 해고당하다 |
| 무시당하다to be ignored거절당하다to be turned down사기당하다to be cheated해고당하다to be fired 받다 receives something good; 당하다 undergoes something unwanted. | ||
| -드리다 | the humble form, for an act done for a superior | 말씀드리다, 인사드리다, 연락드리다, 전화드리다 |
| 드리다, the humble form of give, after a noun: 말씀드리다to tell (someone of higher standing)인사드리다to greet연락드리다to contact Customer service is full of them: 연락드리겠습니다, we will contact you. | ||
Adjectives from nouns
Five endings make an adjective out of a noun — and since Korean adjectives work like verbs, each one is a whole family.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -하다 | makes an adjective from a noun of quality | 건강하다, 행복하다, 친절하다, 피곤하다, 조용하다 |
| The same 하다 after a noun of quality makes an adjective, and Korean adjectives behave like verbs: 건강 health → 건강하다 healthy, 행복 → 행복하다happy피곤하다tired These cannot be split with an object particle — one way to tell them from the verbs. | ||
| -스럽다 | having the air of, full of | 자연스럽다, 걱정스럽다, 자랑스럽다, 사랑스럽다, 만족스럽다 |
| 자연스럽다natural자랑스럽다proud걱정스럽다worrying사랑스럽다lovable만족스럽다satisfying They all bend like ㅂ-verbs: 자연스러워요. | ||
| -롭다 | full of (after a noun ending in a vowel) | 자유롭다, 평화롭다, 향기롭다, 지혜롭다, 슬기롭다 |
| 자유 freedom → 자유롭다 free, 평화롭다 peaceful, 향기롭다 fragrant, 지혜롭다 wise, 슬기롭다 clever, sensible. Also an ㅂ-adjective: 평화로워요. | ||
| -답다 | living up to it, as a proper one should be | 학생답다, 남자답다, 어른답다, 정답다 |
| 학생답다 as a student should be, 어른답다 grown-up, 남자답다 manly, and 정답다 warm, affectionate. Compare 스럽다, which only has the air of something: a child who is 어른스럽다 seems grown-up, an adult who is 어른답다 behaves as one should. | ||
| -지다 | having a lot of | 멋지다, 값지다, 기름지다, 그늘지다 |
| 멋 style → 멋지다 cool, great; 값 price → 값지다 valuable; 기름 oil → 기름지다 greasy, rich; 그늘 shade → 그늘지다 shady. Not the -아/어지다 of 예뻐지다, to become pretty, which is grammar rather than word formation. | ||
Adverbs and native verb endings
Endings for -ly, for movements done again and again, for things knocked over, for directions, and for each in turn.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -히/-이 | makes an adverb from an adjective, -ly | 조용히, 천천히, 솔직히, 깨끗이, 같이 |
| 조용하다 → 조용히 quietly, 솔직하다 → 솔직히 honestly, 깨끗하다 → 깨끗이 cleanly, 같다 → 같이 together. Which of the two is a matter of spelling that Koreans look up too; 이 comes after ㅅ and after stems without 하다. The other everyday way is -게: 조용하게. | ||
| -거리다 | doing a sound or movement again and again | 두근거리다, 반짝거리다, 중얼거리다, 깜빡거리다, 흔들거리다 |
| After a sound or movement word: 두근 thump → 두근거리다to pound (of a heart)반짝거리다to sparkle중얼거리다to mutter깜빡거리다to flicker 대다 does the same job: 두근대다. | ||
| -이다 | a single or gentle movement | 반짝이다, 움직이다, 끄덕이다, 속삭이다 |
| 반짝이다to twinkle끄덕이다to nod속삭이다to whisper움직이다to move Not the copula 이다, to be. | ||
| -뜨리다 | makes a verb of falling or breaking something one does | 떨어뜨리다, 깨뜨리다, 넘어뜨리다, 터뜨리다 |
| 떨어지다 fall → 떨어뜨리다 drop, 깨지다 break → 깨뜨리다 break (something), 터지다 burst → 터뜨리다 burst (something), usually by accident or with force. 트리다 is equally correct: 떨어트리다. | ||
| -가다/-오다 | which way a movement goes | 들어가다, 나오다, 올라가다, 내려오다, 돌아가다 |
| 가다, go, and 오다, come, after another verb say whether a movement goes away from the speaker or towards them: 들어가다go in나오다come out올라가다go up내려오다come down돌아가다go back Where English uses in, out and up, Korean uses a verb. | ||
| -씩 | each, at a time | 하나씩, 조금씩, 두 개씩 |
| After a number or an amount: 하나씩 one each, one at a time, 조금씩little by little두 개씩two each It sticks to the word before it, even after a counter: 한 명씩. | ||
Compounds, doubled and shortened words
Two native words joined, a sound added at the join, dishes named by how they are cooked, words said twice and words cut short — and the rule that changes a syllable at the start of a word.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| noun + noun | two native words make one | 눈물, 손목, 발목, 발가락, 물병 |
| Native words join as English ones do, and the last part says what the thing is: 눈물tears (eye-water)손목wrist (hand-neck)발목ankle (foot-neck)발가락toe (foot-finger)물병water bottle | ||
| -ㅅ- | a letter added at the join of two words | 바닷가, 햇빛, 콧물, 뒷문, 빗물 |
| When two words join and the first ends in a vowel, a ㅅ is often written under it: 바다 sea + 가 edge → 바닷가 seaside, 해 + 빛 → 햇빛 sunlight, 코 + 물 → 콧물 runny nose, 비 + 물 → 빗물 rainwater. It marks a sound, not a meaning: the next consonant is said tense, or an n appears before m (콧물 [콘물]). | ||
| method + food | a dish named by how it is cooked | 볶음밥, 비빔밥, 생선구이, 야채튀김, 김치찌개 |
| What goes in comes first, then a noun made from the cooking verb: 볶다 stir-fry → 볶음밥 fried rice, 비비다 mix → 비빔밥 rice mixed with vegetables, 굽다 grill → 생선구이 grilled fish, 튀기다 deep-fry → 야채튀김 vegetable fritters. A menu becomes readable once the cooking words are known. | ||
| A + A | a word said twice | 반짝반짝, 하나하나, 따로따로, 빨리빨리, 집집마다 |
| 반짝반짝 twinkle-twinkle, 하나하나 one by one, 따로따로 each separately, 집집마다 in every house, and 빨리빨리, quick-quick, the everyday way to hurry someone. Sound and movement words are doubled very often. | ||
| short words | a long word cut to its first syllables | 남친, 여친, 생파, 비번, 학식 |
| Mostly in casual speech and online: 남자 친구 → 남친 boyfriend, 여자 친구 → 여친, 생일 파티 → 생파, 비밀번호 → 비번 password, 학생 식당 → 학식 student canteen. Fine among friends, out of place in a formal letter. | ||
| l and n at the start | the initial-sound rule: a syllable changes at the start of a word | 연세, 학년, 여자, 소녀, 요리, 재료 |
| Sino-Korean words do not begin with ㄹ, nor with ㄴ before i or y. So one syllable has two spellings: year is 년 inside a word (학년, school year) but 연 at the start (연세, the age of an elder); female is 녀 in 소녀, girl, but 여 in 여자; material is 료 in 재료, ingredient, but 요 in 요리, cooking. Borrowed words keep their l: 라디오. | ||