여신
yeosin[jʌ̹ɕʰin]
The Korean word for 'goddess' is 여신 (yeosin). Wiktionary also lists 녀신 (nyeosin).
Meaning: female deity (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 여신 | yeosin | [jʌ̹ɕʰin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 녀신 | nyeosin | [ɲʌ̹ɕʰin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
여신 is a noun used to refer to a female deity.
Which one should you use?
여신 refers specifically to a female deity, whereas 남신 is the term used for a male deity.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form 녀신 is used in North Korean orthography. In South Korean standard orthography, the character 녀 is typically written as 여, resulting in the form 여신.
How do you pronounce it?
yeosin
Did you know?
- While 여신 refers to a deity, the word 여신 is also a homonym for 'loan' or 'credit' in a financial context.
- While 여신 is the standard term for a deity, in modern Korean slang, calling a woman a 여신 is a common way to say she is incredibly beautiful or stunning.
- The different spellings of 여신 and 녀신 are the result of the South Korean 'Initial Sound Rule', which forbids the sound 'n' from starting a word in certain contexts.
Examples in context
- XX대 여신Goddess of XX UniversityThis example shows how to use 여신 when referring to a title such as a goddess of a specific university.
- 우리 반장님은 정말 여신 같아.Our class president is like a real goddess.
- 그 조각상은 바다의 여신입니다.geu jogasang-sangeun bada-ui yeosin-imnida.That statue is the goddess of the sea.
Example conversation
Minjun and Jieun are discussing a piece of classical art in a museum.
- 민준 Min-jun이 그림 속의 여신은 누구인가요?i geurim sog-ui yeosineun nugu-ingayo?Who is the goddess in this painting?
- 지은 Ji-eun그리스 신화에 나오는 아프로디테예요.geuriseu sinhwa-e naoneun apeurodite-yeyo.It is Aphrodite from Greek mythology.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 우아하고 아름다운 모습이네요.jeongmal uahago areumdaun moseup-ineyo.She looks truly elegant and beautiful.
- 지은 Ji-eun맞아요, 전형적인 여신의 모습이죠.majayo, jeonhyeong-jeogin yeosin-ui moseup-ijyo.Right, it is the typical look of a goddess.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goddess” translations and entries 여신, 녀신, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
