군대
gundae[kundɛ]
The English word 'army' can be translated into Korean as 군대 (gundae) or 육군. Wiktionary also lists 륙군 (ryukgun).
Meaning: military force concerned mainly with ground operations (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 군대 | gundae | [kundɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [kunde̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 육군 | yukgun | [juk̚k͈un] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 륙군 | ryukgun | [ɾjuk̚k͈un] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
군대 is the most common way to refer to 'the military' in a general sense, such as when discussing the institution or the act of military service. 육군 is used when you are specifically referring to the Army as a particular branch of the armed forces.
Which one should you use?
Use 군대 to refer to the military as a general concept or institution. Use 육군 when you want to specify the branch of service (the Army).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Korea, the word 륙군 is used instead of 육군.
How do you pronounce it?
gundae
Did you know?
- Korean has a specific set of 'military honorifics' and a unique style of speaking called 다나까 that is exclusively associated with the environment of the 군대.
- In South Korea, the word 군대 is often used in a humorous or metaphorical way to describe any strict, hierarchical environment, such as a demanding workplace or a rigid school.
- Because of mandatory conscription, the word 군대 often carries a heavy social weight in conversation, frequently associated with a period of hardship or lost time.
Examples in context
- 브라질 군대는 아이티 희생자들을 위해 서비스를 제공했다.The Brazilian army provided services to the victims in Haiti.This sentence shows how to use 군대 when discussing military service provided to others.Tatoeba #13118492 by romzzo, translation #10479812 by Ricardo14
- 저는 군대에 복무했어요.I served in the army.
- 형은 지금 군에 있어.My brother is in the army now.
- 그는 군대에서 복무했습니다.geuneun gundaeeseo bokmuhaetseumnida.He served in the army.
- 제 친구는 군대에 갔어요.je chinguneun gundaee gasseoyo.My friend went to the army.
Example conversation
Minjun and Subin are talking about their family members.
- 민준 Min-jun제 동생이 다음 달에 군대에 가요.Je dongsaeng-i da-eum dal-e gundae-e gayo.My younger brother is joining the army next month.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말요? 많이 아쉽겠어요.Jeong-mal-yo? Man-i aswi-gess-eoyo.Really? You must be very sad.
- 민준 Min-jun네, 하지만 군대 생활을 잘 할 거예요.Ne, hajiman gundae saeng-hwal-eul jal hal geoyeyo.Yes, but he will do well in the army.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요. 금방 적응할 거예요.Maj-ayo. Geum-bang jeok-eung-hal geoyeyo.That's true. He'll adjust quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “army” translations and entries 군대, 육군, 륙군, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
