사과
sagwa[sʰa̠ɡwa̠]
The English word 'apple' is 사과 (sagwa) in Korean.
사과 refers to the fruit of the Malus domestica. Note that 사과 is a homonym. Depending on the context, it can also mean 'apology'.
Meaning: fruit of Malus domestica (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When 사과 is the direct object of a verb, it often takes the object marker 를 to become 사과를. If you are counting apples, you can use the counter 개 after a number.
How do you pronounce it?
sagwa
Did you know?
- Because 사과 means both 'apple' and 'apology', Koreans sometimes give apples as a lighthearted or punny way to apologize to someone.
- In some historical contexts, 'apple' was phonetically represented by the Sino-Korean characters 沙果, which literally translate to 'sand fruit'.
- In Korean culture, apples are often associated with health and are a common gift in fruit baskets during hospital visits.
Examples in context
- 내 사과 주스 어디 있어?Where's my apple juice?This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 사과 in the context of juice.Tatoeba #11105175 by intertime, translation #3737753 by CK
- 케이트는 사과 파이를 만들었어.Kate made an apple pie.This sentence shows how to use 사과 when talking about making food.Tatoeba #8367801 by Eunhee, translation #62726 by CN
- 사과 주스 두 잔 주세요.Two glasses of apple juice, please.This sentence is useful for practicing how to order juice using 사과.Tatoeba #2834027 by 0ni, translation #2833972 by CS
- 저는 사과를 좋아해요.I like apples.
- 오늘 사과 가져왔어.I brought apples today.
- 사과가 건강에 좋다Apples are good for your health
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are eating snacks together.
- 지훈 Ji-hun사과 먹을래?Sagwa meogeullae?Do you want to eat an apple?
- 민지 Min-ji응, 좋아. 고마워.Eung, joa. Gomawo.Yes, I'd love to. Thanks.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 사과 정말 달아.I sagwa jeongmal dara.This apple is really sweet.
- 민지 Min-ji진짜네! 정말 맛있다.Jinjjane! Jeongmal masitta.You're right! It's delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “apple” translations and entries 사과, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 사과, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
