권투
gwontu[kwʌ̹ntʰu]
The English phrase "boxing" is translated into Korean as 권투 (gwontu) or 복싱.
Meaning: the sport of boxing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 권투 | gwontu | [kwʌ̹ntʰu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 복싱 | boksing | [po̞kɕ͈iŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both terms refer to the sport of boxing. 권투 is a Sino-Korean word and is the traditional way to refer to the sport of boxing. 복싱 is a loanword from English and is very commonly used in modern contexts.
Which one should you use?
권투 is a Sino-Korean word and is the traditional way to refer to the sport of boxing, while 복싱 is a loanword from English and is very commonly used in modern contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'boxer', you add the noun 선수 (athlete/player) after the word for boxing, resulting in 권투 선수.
How do you pronounce it?
gwontu
Did you know?
- While 권투 refers to the sport, a raw or unplanned fistfight is described using the word 주먹다짐.
- The term 권투 shares its root character for 'fist' with 권법, the general term used for fist-based martial arts like Kung Fu.
- In Korea, the word 복싱 is often preferred for high-end fitness clubs and professional branding over the traditional 권투.
Examples in context
- 저는 권투를 좋아해요.I like boxing.
- 권투 경기를 볼 때마다 무척 흥분돼요.I get really excited every time I watch a boxing match.
- 어떤 권투 선수가 제일 좋아요?Who is your favorite boxer?
- 그는 권투를 아주 잘해요.geuneun guntureul aju jalhaeyo.He is very good at boxing.
- 어렸을 때 권투를 배웠어요.eoryeosseul ttae guntureul baewosseoyo.I learned boxing when I was young.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are talking about their hobbies.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 운동 좋아해요?Subin ssi, undong joahae-yo?Subin, do you like exercising?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 요즘 권투를 하고 있어요.Ne, yojeum gwentureul hago isseoyo.Yes, I've been doing boxing lately.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말요? 정말 멋있네요!Jeongmallyo? Jeongmal meoshitneyo!Really? That's so cool!
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨도 같이 해요.Hyunwoo ssi-do gati haeyo.You should do it too, Hyunwoo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boxing” translations and entries 권투, 복싱, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
