Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 외계인 | oegyein | [ˈwe̞(ː)ɡje̞in] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈø̞(ː)ɡje̞in] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 우주인 | uju'in | [ˈu(ː)d͡ʑuin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 에일리언 | eillieon | [e̞iʎʎiʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
외계인 is the standard and most natural term used when discussing extraterrestrial life forms in both scientific and general speculative contexts. It is also the most common way to say 'alien' in casual conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 외계인 is composed of 외 meaning 'outside', 계 meaning 'world/system' and 인 meaning 'person/being', which literally translates to 'outside-world-being'.
Which one should you use?
외계인 is the standard term for a biological life form from another planet. In contrast, 우주인 is most commonly used to refer to human astronauts or 'space people' rather than non-human aliens. Additionally, 에일리언 is a transliteration of the English word 'Alien' and is typically used specifically when referring to the movie franchise or specific science fiction tropes.
How do you pronounce it?
oegyein
Did you know?
- In Korean pop culture and variety shows, the term 외계인 is frequently used to describe people with 'superhuman' skills or unbelievable talents.
- The word 외계인 is a Sino-Korean term derived from the Chinese characters 外界人, combining 'outside world' and 'person'.
- The term 외계인 is sometimes used as a slang metaphor to describe someone who feels like an outsider or acts completely differently from the social norms of a group.
Examples in context
- 외계인들이 지구에 찾아온 이유는 무엇인가요?What is the reason for aliens visiting Earth?
- 외계인은 기괴하고 비정상적으로 보입니다.Aliens look strange and abnormal.
- 외계인은 이상한 외모를 가지고 있습니다.Aliens have peculiar appearances.
- 외계인들이 존재한다고 믿으세요?Do you believe aliens exist?
- 다른 외계 생명체에 대해 더 알고 싶어요.I want to know more about other alien life forms.
- 외계인이 나타날 수도 있어요.oegyeini natanal sudo isseoyo.Aliens might appear.
- 영화 속 외계인은 무섭게 생겼어요.yeonghwa sok oegyeineun museopge saenggyeosseoyo.The alien in the movie looks scary.
- 외계인이 정말 존재할까요?oegyeini jeongmal jonjaehalkkayo?Do aliens really exist?
Example conversation
Ji-hun and Ji-eun are watching a science fiction movie.
- 지훈 Ji-hun저 외계인 정말 무섭게 생겼다.jeo oegyein jeongmal museopge saenggyeotda.That alien looks really scary.
- 지은 Ji-eun맞아요. 지훈 씨도 무서워요?majayo. Jihun ssi-do museowoyo?Right. Are you scared too, Ji-hun?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 외계인이 갑자기 나타날 것 같아요.ne, oegyeini gapjagi natanal geot gatayo.Yes, I feel like an alien will suddenly appear.
- 지은 Ji-eun그냥 영화일 뿐이에요.geunyang yeonghwayil ppunieyo.It is just a movie.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alien” translations and entries 외계인, 우주인, 에일리언, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 에일리언, 외계인, 우주인, CC BY-SA 4.0.
