Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 유령 | yuryeong | [juɾjʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 혼 | hon | [ɸʷo̞n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 고스트 | goseuteu | [ko̞sʰɯtʰɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 귀신 | gwisin | [ˈkɥi(ː)ɕʰin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈky(ː)ɕʰin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 영혼 | yeonghon | [jʌ̹ŋβo̞n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 잡신 | japsin | [t͡ɕa̠pɕ͈in] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term is used to describe a spirit appearing after death. Depending on the context, you might use a term that refers to a scary apparition, a philosophical soul or a loanword used in pop culture.
Which one should you use?
유령 (yuryeong) is a general term for a ghost or phantom. In daily conversation, Koreans most commonly use 귀신 (gwisin) to refer to a specific ghost, which often carries a spooky or folkloric connotation. For a more philosophical or religious sense of a 'soul' or 'spirit', use 영혼 (yeonghon). The word 고스트 (goseuteu) is a loanword transliterated from English and is mostly seen in modern contexts like song titles or brands. Finally, 잡신 (japsin) refers to miscellaneous or minor spirits in a shamanistic context rather than a standard ghost.
How do you pronounce it?
yuryeong
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'ghost' to mean a person who stops responding to messages, using the Korean word 유령 (yuryeong) in that context would sound like you are describing a literal phantom instead of a social snub.
- The word 귀신 (gwisin) is composed of two characters meaning 'ghost' and 'god', suggesting that spirits exist on a spectrum between the dead and the divine.
- The word 귀신 (gwisin) has been recorded in Korean texts as far back as the year 1103, showing its deep roots in the history of the language.
Examples in context
- 유령은 존재할까요?Do ghosts exist?
- 저 어제 밤에 귀신을 봤어.I saw a ghost last night.
- 귀신이 나타났어요.The ghost appeared.
- 목격자들은 유령을 보았다고 주장했습니다.The witnesses claimed they saw a ghost.
- 그 곳은 유령이 나타난 곳이라고 소문이 났어요.There were rumors that it was the place where the ghost appeared.
- 유령이 나타나면 정말 무서워요.yuryeongi natanamyeon jeongmal museowoyo.I am really scared if a ghost appears.
- 그 영화에는 무서운 유령이 나와요.geu yeonghwa-eneun museoun yuryeongi nawayo.A scary ghost appears in that movie.
- 밤에 유령을 봤다는 이야기가 있어요.bame yuryeongeul bwattaneun iyagiga isseoyo.There is a story about seeing a ghost at night.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Jieun are walking past an old building.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은 씨, 저 건물에 유령이 나온대요.Jieun ssi, jeo geonmure yuryeongi naondae-yo.Jieun, they say a ghost appears in that building.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말요? 너무 무서워요.jeongmalyo? neomu museowoyo.Really? That's so scary.
- 도현 Do-hyeon빨리 여기서 벗어나요.ppalli yeogiseo beoseonayo.Let's get out of here quickly.
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 빨리 가요!ne, ppalli gayo!Yes, let's go fast!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ghost” translations and entries 유령, 혼, 고스트, 귀신, 영혼, 잡신, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 고스트, 귀신, 유령, 혼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
