세기
segi[ˈsʰe̞(ː)ɡi]
The English word "century" is translated into Korean as 세기 (segi).
The noun 세기 refers to a period of 100 years. It is commonly used when discussing historical events, the passage of time or scholarly research.
Meaning: period of 100 years (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
세기 is a counter-less noun. This means you typically place a number directly before it to specify which century you are referring to, such as 21세기 for the 21st century.
How do you pronounce it?
segi
Did you know?
- In Korean pop culture, the term 세기말 (segi-mal), meaning 'the end of the century', is specifically used to evoke the moody, chaotic, and apocalyptic atmosphere of the late 1990s.
- The word 세기 is based on the character 世, which also means 'world' or 'society'. This suggests that a century is not just a length of time, but an entire world passing through time.
- The word 세기 is an orthographic borrowing from the Japanese word seiki, which itself originated from Middle Chinese.
Examples in context
- 20(이십)세기 초 이래로Since the early twentieth centuryThis sentence is useful for describing a time frame starting from the early twentieth century using 세기.
- 이 서적은 21세기의 문화적 변화를 다루고 있습니다.This book deals with cultural changes in the 21st century.
- 지난 백 년 동안 많은 일이 일어났습니다.Many things have happened over the past century.
- 얼마 남지 않은 시간 안에 이제 22세기가 도래할 것입니다.In a short time, the 22nd century will dawn.
- 21세기21st century
- 이번 세기의 가장 큰 변화예요.i-beon se-gi-ui ga-jang keun byeon-hwa-ye-yo.It is the biggest change of this century.
Example conversation
A student and a teacher are discussing a history book.
- 지은 Ji-eun이 책은 21세기에 쓰였나요?i chaek-eun i-sip-il-se-gi-e sseu-yeot-na-yo?Was this book written in the 21st century?
- 민준 Min-jun아니요, 20세기에 출판되었습니다.a-ni-yo, i-sip-se-gi-e chul-pan-doe-eot-seum-ni-da.No, it was published in the 20th century.
- 지은 Ji-eun그 세기의 역사적 배경이 궁금해요.geu se-gi-ui yeok-sa-jeok bae-gyeong-i gung-geum-hae-yo.I am curious about the historical background of that century.
- 민준 Min-jun그럼 이 부분을 같이 읽어볼까요?geu-reom i bu-bun-eul gat-i ilg-eo-bol-kka-yo?Then shall we read this part together?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “century” translations and entries 세기, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 세기, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
