볼
bol[po̞ɭ]
In Korean, the English word "cheek" can be translated as 볼 (bol) or 뺨.
Meaning: part of face (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 볼 | bol | [po̞ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 뺨 | ppyam | [p͈ja̠m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both words refer to a part of the face.
How do you pronounce it?
bol
Did you know?
- While 볼 and 뺨 both mean 'cheek', 뺨 is often used when referring to the act of slapping someone, whereas 볼 is used for soft, cute or chubby cheeks.
- There is a Korean idiom 뺨을 맞다 meaning 'to be slapped on the cheek', which is used metaphorically to describe receiving a sudden, humiliating shock.
- The word 볼 first appeared in written records in 1608 within the Eonhae duchang jibyo, a text focused on treating smallpox.
Examples in context
- 그녀는 그의 뺨에 키스했다.She kissed him on the cheek.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 뺨 in the context of a kiss.Tatoeba #11106355 by intertime, translation #887258 by CK
- 빗방울이 그녀의 볼 위로 떨어졌다.A raindrop splashed on her cheek.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 볼 in the context of raindrops.Tatoeba #1587244 by JanAson, translation #1581051 by sinatra
- 저는 앞볼에 살짝 홍조가 돌았어요.I have a slight blush on my cheeks.
- 너 왜 뺨에 멍이 있어?Why do you have a bruise on your cheek?
- 아기가 통통한 볼을 가지고 있어요.agiga tongtonghan bol-eul gajigo isseoyo.The baby has chubby cheeks.
Example conversation
Subin notices Dohyun's face is red from the cold.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 볼이 너무 빨개요.do-hyeon ssi, bol-i neo-mu ppal-gae-yo.Dohyun, your cheeks are so red.
- 도현 Do-hyeon밖이 너무 추워서 그런 것 같아요.bak-i neo-mu chu-wo-seo geu-reon geot ga-ta-yo.I think it's because it's so cold outside.
- 수빈 Su-bin얼른 들어가서 몸을 녹이세요.eol-leun deu-reo-ga-seo mom-eul nog-i-se-yo.Hurry inside and warm up.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 수빈 씨도 빨리 들어가요.ne, su-bin ssi-do ppal-li deu-reo-ga-yo.Yes, you should go inside quickly too, Subin.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheek” translations and entries 볼, 뺨, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 볼, 뺨, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
