동물
dongmul[ˈto̞(ː)ŋmuɭ]
The English word "animal" is translated into Korean as 동물 (dongmul). Wiktionary also lists 생물 (saengmul).
Meaning: organism other than human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 동물 | dongmul | [ˈto̞(ː)ŋmuɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 생물 | saengmul | [sʰɛŋmuɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ŋmuɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
동물 is used to refer to animals, specifically organisms that are not human. You can see this term used in compounds like 동물원, which means zoo. Specific animals include 개 (dog), 고양이 (cat), 호랑이 (tiger), 사자 (lion), 코끼리 (elephant), 새 (bird), 토끼 (rabbit) and 물고기 (fish).
Which one should you use?
While 동물 refers specifically to animals, 생물 is a broader biological term meaning any living organism, including plants and bacteria.
How do you pronounce it?
dongmul
Did you know?
- Korean has a specific cultural concept called 동물상, which categorizes people's facial features as resembling a certain 'animal type' like a cat or a puppy.
- In Korean, the word for 'animal' is often used in the slang term 짐승 to describe someone who lacks human decency or acts with brutal cruelty.
- The word 동물 literally translates to 'moving thing', reflecting an ancient classification system that defined animals by their ability to move independently.
Examples in context
- 그들은 동물 가죽을 입고 있었어.They wore animal skins.This sentence shows how to use 동물 when describing animal skins.Tatoeba #13761857 by qlTmalffk, translation #11943713 by Amastan
- 여우는 내가 가장 좋아하는 동물이야.Foxes are my favorite animal.This sentence uses 동물 to talk about a favorite animal.Tatoeba #8363219 by Eunhee, translation #8234829 by meshbags
- 인간은 이성이 있는 동물이에요.Man is a rational animal.This sentence uses 동물 in a philosophical context regarding humans.Tatoeba #1197742 by Brian255, translation #3114635 by megamanenm
Example conversation
Two friends are at a zoo looking at the exhibits.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저 동물은 정말 커요.jeo dongmul-eun jeongmal keoyo.That animal is really big.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 정말 힘이 세 보여요.majayo, jeongmal himi se boyeoyo.True, it looks really strong.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지 씨는 어떤 동물을 좋아해요?Minji ssi-neun eotteon dongmul-eul joahaeyo?Minji, what kind of animal do you like?
- 민지 Min-ji저는 작은 동물을 더 좋아해요.jeoneun jageun dongmul-eul deo joahaeyo.I like small animals more.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “animal” translations and entries 동물, 생물, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 동물, 생물, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
