기념일
ginyeomil[kiɲʌ̹miɭ]
The English phrase 'anniversary' is translated into Korean as 기념일 (ginyeomil). Wiktionary also lists 주년 (junyeon) and 기념제 (ginyeomje).
Meaning: day an exact number of years since an event (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 기념일 | ginyeomil | [kiɲʌ̹miɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 주년 | junyeon | [t͡ɕuɲʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 기념제 | ginyeomje |
기념일 is used to refer to the specific day an exact number of years has passed since an event. For example, to say 'wedding anniversary', you combine the word for marriage with this term to form 결혼 기념일.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 기념일 is composed of 기념, meaning commemoration or remembrance and 일, meaning day.
Which one should you use?
While 기념일 refers to the day itself, 주년 is used as a counter to specify the number of years that have passed. 기념제 is used to refer to a larger-scale commemorative festival or ceremony held to mark the date, rather than the date itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting the years for an anniversary using the counter 주년, the number is placed directly before it, such as in 1주년 (1st anniversary).
How do you pronounce it?
ginyeomil
Did you know?
- In South Korea, couples often celebrate a 100일 '100-day anniversary' early in a relationship, rather than waiting for a full year. This is a major milestone that often involves gifts and special dates.
- The word 주 in 주년 literally translates to 'circle' or 'circumference', implying the completion of a full circle around the sun or a cycle.
- For the '1st anniversary', Koreans often use the phrase 돌 when referring to a child's first birthday, which is the most important anniversary in a child's early life.
Examples in context
- 사랑의 기념일을 축하해요.Congratulations on your anniversary of love.
- 회사 창립 기념일을 맞이하여 축하드립니다.Congratulations on your company's establishment anniversary.
- 결혼 기념일 축하해!Happy wedding anniversary!
- 우리 결혼 기념일이에요.uri gyeolhon ginyeomirieyo.It is our wedding anniversary.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Jihun are discussing their upcoming date.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 다음 주가 우리 기념일이에요.Jihun ssi, daeum juga uri ginyeomirieyo.Jihun, next week is our anniversary.
- 지훈 Ji-hun맞아요, 제가 기억하고 있었어요.majayo, jega gieokhago isseosseoyo.That's right, I remembered.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그날에 같이 저녁 먹으러 가요.geunare gachi jeonyeok meogeureo gayo.Let's go have dinner together on that day.
- 지훈 Ji-hun좋아요, 멋진 식당을 예약할게요.joayo, meotjin sikdangeul yeyakhalgeyo.Great, I will book a nice restaurant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “anniversary” translations and entries 기념일, 주년, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 기념일, 주년, CC BY-SA 4.0.
