운동
undong[ˈu(ː)ndo̞ŋ]
The English word 'exercise' is translated into Korean as 운동 (undong).
운동 is the most common and widely-used term for physical activity intended to improve strength and fitness. Depending on the context, it can also refer to a social or political movement or campaign. To describe the act of exercising, you can use the verb 운동하다 or you can use the phrase 운동을 하다, which literally means 'to do exercise'. If you want to indicate that someone is currently in the middle of a workout, you can use the phrase 운동 중.
Meaning: physical activity intended to improve strength and fitness (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 운동 refers to physical exercise for fitness, the related verb 연습하다 means 'to practice' and is used for practicing a specific skill or repetitive training, such as a musical instrument or a sport technique. Additionally, 체육 is used to refer to exercise in more formal settings, such as physical education classes or organized sports activities.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, the noun 운동 is most commonly used as a verb by adding the object marker and the verb 하다 (to do), resulting in the expression 운동을 하다.
How do you pronounce it?
undong
Did you know?
- In Korea, the term 운동 is frequently used to describe 'social movements' or 'political campaigns', such as the famous 3.1 운동 referring to the March 1st Independence Movement.
- The characters in 운동 literally mean 'move' and 'stir', emphasizing the physical displacement of the body rather than just the concept of 'fitness'.
- Because 운동 is a Sino-Korean word, it shares the same Chinese characters as the Japanese word 'undō', meaning the concept of 'movement' is shared across East Asian languages.
Examples in context
- 너 운동 좀 더 해야겠어.You should exercise more.This sentence shows how to use 운동 to suggest someone should exercise more.Tatoeba #8361794 by Eunhee, translation #1729490 by Feryll
- 톰은 운동하는 걸 싫어한다.Tom doesn't like to exercise.This sentence uses 운동 to express a dislike for exercising.Tatoeba #4568848 by imjcooper, translation #4568490 by CK
- 엄마는 운동하는 걸 안 좋아한다.Mom doesn't like to exercise.This sentence uses 운동 to express that someone does not like to exercise.Tatoeba #4568851 by imjcooper, translation #4568147 by CD
- 어제 어떤 운동을 했어요?What exercise did you do yesterday?
- 저녁에 운동해야 할까요?Should we exercise in the evening?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are talking about their health at a park.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨, 요즘 운동 해요?Minji ssi, yo-jeum un-dong hae-yo?Minji, do you exercise lately?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 매일 아침에 운동을 해요.Ne, mae-il a-chim-e un-dong-eul hae-yo.Yes, I exercise every morning.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 부지런하시네요.Jeong-mal bu-ji-reon-ha-si-ne-yo.You are really diligent.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨도 같이 해요!Jihoon ssi-do gat-i hae-yo!Jihoon, you should do it with me!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “exercise” translations and entries 운동, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 운동, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
