벌레
beolle[pʌ̹ɭɭe̞]
The English phrase 'bugs' is translated into Korean as 벌레 (beolle).
벌레 is the most general and widely-used word for bugs in Korean. Other specific words include 모기 for mosquito and 개미 for ant.
Which one should you use?
While 벌레 is a general term for bugs or creepy-crawlies, 곤충 is the more scientific and formal term for 'insect', emphasizing their characteristics and classification as a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of 벌레 is 벌레들, though in natural Korean, the singular form 벌레 is often used to refer to bugs in general. To emphasize the plurality of bugs, you can add the suffix –들 after 벌레.
How do you pronounce it?
beolle
Did you know?
- In modern Korean, 벌레 is frequently used as a derogatory suffix to describe people who are viewed as socially parasitic or loathsome.
- The word 벌레 can be used to describe things that are fundamentally 'worm-like' in structure, not just flying insects.
- The word 벌레 was recorded as 벌에 as early as 1447 in the 석보상절, a classic piece of Korean literature.
Examples in context
- 벌레들이 식물에 피해를 줄 수 있습니다.Bugs can cause damage to plants.
- 벌레가 너무 많아요.beol-re-ga neo-mu man-a-yo.There are too many bugs.
- 숲에는 벌레가 살아요.sup-e-neun beol-re-ga sal-a-yo.Bugs live in the forest.
- 벌레를 무서워해요?beol-re-reul mu-seo-wo-hae-yo?Are you afraid of bugs?
Example conversation
Subin and Minjun are hiking in a forest.
- 수빈 Su-bin민준 씨, 벌레가 진짜 많아요.Min-jun ssi, beol-re-ga jin-jja man-a-yo.Minjun, there are really many bugs.
- 민준 Min-jun숲이니까 벌레가 당연히 많죠.Sup-i-ni-kka beol-re-ga dang-yeon-hi man-jyo.Since it's a forest, of course there are bugs.
- 수빈 Su-bin저는 벌레가 너무 싫어요.Jeo-neun beol-re-ga neo-mu sil-eo-yo.I hate bugs so much.
- 민준 Min-jun조금만 더 가면 괜찮을 거예요.Jo-geum-man deo ga-myeon gwaen-chan-eul geo-ye-yo.It will be okay if we walk a little further.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 벌레, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 벌레, CC BY-SA 4.0.
