악마
angma[a̠ŋma̠]
The English word "demon" is translated into Korean as 악마 (angma). Wiktionary also lists 데몬 (demon) and 악귀 (akgwi).
Meaning: evil being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 악마 | angma | [a̠ŋma̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 데몬 | demon | [te̞mo̞n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 악귀 | akgwi | [a̠k̚k͈ɥi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [a̠k̚k͈y] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 요마 | yoma |
The term is used to describe an evil being.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 악귀 is a compound word made of 악 (evil) and 귀 (spirit/ghost), literally meaning "evil spirit".
Which one should you use?
악마 is typically used for a personified, sentient devil or demon. In contrast, 악귀 refers more to a malevolent, non-human spirit or ghost. 요마 carries a nuance of a supernatural, monstrous or 'strange' being, often found in traditional East Asian folklore or fantasy settings. 데몬 is the phonetic transliteration of the English word 'demon' and is commonly used in gaming or pop culture contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal settings, you can add the honorific suffix -님 to 악마 to form 악마님.
How do you pronounce it?
angma
Did you know?
- The character 魔 in 악마 is the same character used in the word for 'magic' or 'wizardry', meaning the line between a demon and a practitioner of magic is historically thin in many East Asian contexts.
- In traditional Korean belief, entities like 악귀 are often bound to a physical object or a specific location.
- Calling a person an 악귀 is a heavy insult that suggests they are a malevolent spirit rather than just a 'bad person'.
Examples in context
- 나는 악마니?Am I a demon?This sentence is useful for asking if the speaker is a demon using 악마.Tatoeba #9803414 by ST_Young, translation #8844835 by shekitten
- 악마들은 사람들의 두려움을 일으킨다.Demons instill fear in people.
- 악마님께서는 굉장히 강력하신 존재입니다.The demon is a very powerful being.
- 오늘밤에 귀신이 나타났을 거야.A demon probably appeared tonight.
- 귀신아, 나 좀 도와줄래?Hey demon, could you help me?
- 그 영화에는 무서운 악마가 나와요.geu yeonghwa-eneun museoun angma-ga nawayo.A scary demon appears in that movie.
- 그는 악마와 싸우는 전사예요.geuneun angma-wa ssauneun jeonsa-ye-yo.He is a warrior fighting a demon.
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyun are talking about a fantasy novel at a cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji이 소설 속 악마는 정말 강력해요.i soseol sok angma-neun jeongmal gangnyeok-haeyo.The demon in this novel is really powerful.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 너무 무서운 이야기 아닌가요?Minji ssi, neomu museoun iyagi aninga-yo?Minji, isn't that story too scary?
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨는 이런 장르를 좋아해요?Dohyun ssi-neun ireon jangreu-reul joahaeyo?Dohyun, do you like this genre?
- 도현 Do-hyeon아니요, 저는 무서운 걸 못 봐요.aniyo, jeoneun museoun geol mot bwayo.No, I can't watch scary things.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “demon” translations and entries 악마, 데몬, 악귀, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
