휘발유
hwiballyu[hɥiba̠ʎʎu]
The Korean word for gasoline is 휘발유 (hwiballyu). Wiktionary also lists 가솔린 (gasollin) and 기름 (gireum).
Meaning: motor fuel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 휘발유 | hwiballyu | [hɥiba̠ʎʎu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [hyba̠ʎʎu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 가솔린 | gasollin | [ka̠sʰo̞ʎʎin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 기름 | gireum | [kiɾɯm] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term gasoline can be expressed in several ways depending on the context. 휘발유 is the standard term for motor fuel, while 가솔린 is a phonetic loanword from English. In everyday speech, people often use the more general word 기름, which literally means oil, to refer to gasoline or fuel.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 휘발유 literally translates to 'volatile oil', where 휘발 means volatile and 유 means oil or liquid.
Which one should you use?
휘발유 is the technical and formal term for gasoline, frequently used in news reports or on official signs. 가솔린 is a direct phonetic loanword from the English word 'gasoline' used in specific or technical contexts. In contrast, 기름 is a colloquial term for oil or fuel used in common conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
hwiballyu
Did you know?
- The colloquial term 기름 has roots reaching back to 1103, appearing in the 계림유사. This means the word for 'oil' predates the invention of the internal combustion engine by centuries.
- In Korea, people do not say 'gas station' using the word 'station'. Instead, they use 주유소, which literally means 'fuel supply place'.
- While 기름 refers to 'gasoline' at a pump, it also describes cooking oil and skin oils. If you ask for 기름 in a kitchen, you will get vegetable oil rather than fuel.
Examples in context
- 오토바이에 휘발유를 가득 주세요.Please fill up the motorcycle with gasoline.
- 오토바이에 주유 좀 해 줄래?Can you refill the motorcycle with gas?
- 근처에 주유소 어딨어?Where is the gas station nearby?
- 휘발유 가격이 너무 올랐어요.hwibalyu gagyeogi neomu olrasseoyo.The price of gasoline has risen too much.
- 휘발유를 가득 채워 주세요.hwibalyureul gadeuk chaewoe juseyo.Please fill it up with gasoline.
- 이 차는 휘발유를 사용해요.i chaneun hwibalyureul sayonghaeyo.This car uses gasoline.
Example conversation
At a gas station while driving a car.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 휘발유가 거의 없어요.hyeonu ssi, hwibalyuga geoui eopseoyo.Hyunwoo, there is almost no gasoline left.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그럼 바로 주유소에 들러요.geureom baro juyusoe deulleoyo.Then let's stop at a gas station right away.
- 지은 Ji-eun휘발유를 얼마나 넣을까요?hwibalyureul eolmana neoeulkkayo?How much gasoline should we put in?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo가득 채워 달라고 하세요.gadeuk chaewo dallago haseyo.Tell them to fill it up.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gasoline” translations and entries 휘발유, 가솔린, 기름, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가솔린, 기름, 휘발유, CC BY-SA 4.0.
