고양이
goyang'i[ko̞ja̠ŋi]
The Korean word for cat is 고양이 (goyang'i).
고양이 is used to refer to the domestic species of cat.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
goyang'i
Did you know?
- Korean uses the term 개냥이 (gae-nyang-i) to describe a cat that acts like a dog, combining the words for 'dog' and 'cat'.
- The sound a cat makes is not 'meow' in Korean, but is written as 야옹 (ya-ong).
- The suffix '-앙이' in 고양이 is a diminutive, meaning the word itself carries a nuance of 'little cat' or a sense of endearment.
Examples in context
- 난 내 고양이가 그리워.I miss my cat.This sentence is useful for expressing that you miss your 고양이.Tatoeba #8364951 by Eunhee, translation #2002713 by Spamster
- 네 고양이가 날 할퀴었어.Your cat scratched me.This sentence is useful for describing how a 고양이 scratched someone.Tatoeba #8369648 by Eunhee, translation #3822753 by CK
- 난 이 고양이를 돌봐야 해.I have to look after this cat.This sentence is useful for stating a need to look after a 고양이.Tatoeba #8364959 by Eunhee, translation #253714 by CK
- 저는 고양이를 키우고 있어요.I am raising a cat.
- 너희 집에는 야옹이 있어?Do you have a cat at home?
- 정말 귀여운 야옹이네요!That's a really cute cat!
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are looking at a photo on a phone.
- 수빈 Su-bin이 고양이 정말 귀엽다!i go-yang-i jeong-mal gwi-yeop-da!This cat is really cute!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo맞아, 수빈아. 정말 예뻐.ma-ja, su-bin-a. jeong-mal ye-ppeo.Right, Subin. It's really pretty.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 너도 고양이 좋아해?hyeon-u neo-do go-yang-i jo-a-hae?Hyunwoo, do you like cats too?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo응, 난 고양이를 아주 좋아해.eung, nan go-yang-i-reul a-ju jo-a-hae.Yes, I like cats very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries 고양이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 고양이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
