햄스터
haemseuteo[hɛmsʰɯtʰʌ̹]
The English word hamster is translated into Korean as 햄스터 (haemseuteo). Wiktionary also lists 뵤 (byo).
Meaning: rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 햄스터 | haemseuteo | [hɛmsʰɯtʰʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [he̞msʰɯtʰʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 뵤 | byo |
The term is used to refer to the rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae family.
Which one should you use?
뵤 is a slang term used online to refer to hamsters, often used in a cute or diminutive way. Additionally, 햄찌 is an endearing and playful term for hamster.
How do you pronounce it?
haemseuteo
Did you know?
- The slang term 뵤 is not actually a word with a phonetic meaning, but a pictogram where the shape of the character mimics the round face, tiny eyes, and nose of a hamster.
- In Korean online communities, the word 뵤 has evolved into a meme used to describe a person who is staring blankly or feels completely overwhelmed by a situation.
- The term 햄찌 uses the tense consonant 'ㅉ' to create a sound that feels more 'bouncy' and 'cute', a linguistic trick used in Korean to make words sound more endearing.
Examples in context
- 햄스터가 자꾸 탈출하려고 해.The hamster keeps trying to escape.
- 햄스터는 작고 귀여워요.haemseuteoneun jakgo gwiyeowoyo.Hamsters are small and cute.
- 제 햄스터는 해바라기 씨를 좋아해요.je haemseuteoneun haebaragui ssireul joahaeyo.My hamster likes sunflower seeds.
- 햄스터를 키우고 싶어요.haemseuteureul kiugo sipeoyo.I want to raise a hamster.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Seoyeon are at a pet store.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 이 햄스터 좀 보세요.Seoyeon ssi, i haemseuteo jom boseyo.Seoyeon, look at this hamster.
- 서연 Seo-yeon와, 정말 작고 귀엽네요!wa, jeongmal jakgo gwiyeomneyo!Wow, it's really small and cute!
- 도현 Do-hyeon집에 햄스터 한 마리 키울까요?jibe haemseuteo han mari kiulkkayo?Shall we get a hamster for the house?
- 서연 Seo-yeon좋아요, 같이 골라봐요.joayo, gati gollabwayo.Sounds good, let's pick one together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hamster” translations and entries 햄스터, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
