까마귀
kkamagwi[k͈a̠ma̠ɡɥi]
The Korean word for crow is 까마귀 (kkamagwi).
까마귀 refers to any bird belonging to the genus Corvus.
Meaning: any bird of the genus Corvus (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kkamagwi
Did you know?
- Korean folklore features a 'three-legged crow' called the 삼족오, which was a prominent symbol of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo.
- In traditional Korean folklore, the 까마귀 is often seen as a messenger of bad news or a symbol of death, contrasting with the magpie which brings good luck.
- The word 까마귀 is believed by many linguists to be a combination of the root 감-, meaning 'to be black', and a rare noun-deriving suffix.
Examples in context
- 오늘 까마귀가 나무 위에 앉아 있었어요.One crow was sitting on the tree today.
- 까마귀가 나무 위에 있어요.kkamaguiga namu wie isseoyo.A crow is on the tree.
- 까마귀는 검은색이에요.kkamaguineun geomunsaegieyo.Crows are black.
- 창밖에 까마귀가 보여요.changbakke kkamaguiga boyeoyo.I see a crow outside the window.
Example conversation
Minji and Jihun are walking in a park.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨, 저기 까마귀 좀 보세요.Jihun ssi, jeogi kkamagwi jom boseyo.Jihun, look at that crow over there.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 크네요. 소리도 아주 커요.jeongmal keuneyo. sorido aju keoyo.It's really big. Its voice is very loud too.
- 민지 Min-ji까마귀는 정말 똑똑한 새라고 해요.kkamagwineun jeongmal ttokttokhan saerago haeyo.They say crows are very intelligent birds.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그렇군요. 신기한 새네요.geureokunyo. singihan saunaeyo.I see. It's a fascinating bird.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crow” translations and entries 까마귀, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 까마귀, CC BY-SA 4.0.
