고릴라
gorilla[ko̞ɾiɭɭa̠]
The Korean word for gorilla is 고릴라.
고릴라 is a noun used to refer to the ape.
Meaning: ape (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gorilla.
Did you know?
- In Korean internet culture, 고릴라 is occasionally associated with 'muscle-bound' or overly athletic individuals in a humorous, complimentary way.
- In Korean pop culture, characters resembling a 고릴라 are often used in comedy to represent a 'tough' exterior that hides a gentle or shy personality.
- While 고릴라 refers specifically to the gorilla, Koreans use the word 원숭이 for monkeys, and the two are strictly distinguished in a way that some English speakers who use 'monkey' as a catch-all might find surprising.
Examples in context
- 동물원에 고릴라가 있어요.dongmuljone gorillaga isseoyo.There is a gorilla at the zoo.
- 고릴라는 힘이 아주 세요.gorillaneun himi aju seyo.A gorilla is very strong.
- 저는 고릴라를 무서워해요.jeoneun gorillareul museowohaeyo.I am afraid of gorillas.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-woo are looking at animals at the zoo.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 저기 고릴라가 있어요.Hyeon-u ssi, jeogi gorillaga isseoyo.Hyeon-woo, there is a gorilla over there.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo와, 정말 힘이 세 보여요.Wa, jeongmal himi se boyeoyo.Wow, it looks really strong.
- 지은 Ji-eun고릴라는 가족을 아주 사랑해요.Gorillaneun gajogeul aju saranghaeyo.Gorillas love their families very much.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말 신기하고 멋지네요.Jeongmal singihago meotjineyo.That is really fascinating and cool.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gorilla” translations and entries 고릴라, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
