Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 인간 | in'gan | [inɡa̠n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 사람 | saram | [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both terms refer to a human being, but they are used in different contexts. 사람 is the everyday word for a person, while 인간 is used to refer to humans as a biological species, a philosophical concept or in an abstract sense. Additionally, in certain colloquial contexts, calling someone an 인간, particularly when paired with adjectives like 'not a real…', can be used to critique their character or morality.
Which one should you use?
사람 is the common, informal word for 'person' or 'human' used in most conversational contexts. In contrast, 인간 is more formal and abstract, often used to mean 'human being' or 'mankind' when discussing the species or philosophical ideas.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe something as being of or belonging to the species Homo sapiens, you can use the adjective forms 사람의 or 인간의.
How do you pronounce it?
in'gan
Did you know?
- The term 인간 literally translates to 'between humans' or 'human world', using the Hanja characters for 'person' and 'space/interval'.
- Using 인간 instead of 사람 can shift a sentence from a personal observation to a cold, scientific or clinical tone.
Examples in context
- 톰은 제대로 된 인간이야.Tom is a decent human being.This sentence shows how 인간 can be used to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #8361848 by Eunhee, translation #7544377 by CK
- 인간 관계는 아주 복잡해.Human relationships are very complex.This sentence uses 인간 in the context of human relationships.Tatoeba #8361850 by Eunhee, translation #5288084 by Hybrid
- 인간의 욕구는 끝이 없어.There is no limit to human desire.This sentence uses 인간 to refer to human desire.Tatoeba #8361851 by Eunhee, translation #2976604 by CK
- 인간 연구Human research
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a character in a science fiction movie.
- 수빈 Su-bin그 영화 속 캐릭터는 진짜 인간 같아.geu yeonghwa sok kaerikteuneun jinjja ingan gata.The character in that movie is like a real human being.
- 도현 Do-hyeon맞아, 감정이 아주 풍부한 인간이야.maja, gamjeongi aju pungbuhan inganya.True, he is a human being with very rich emotions.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현아, 너는 로봇보다 인간이 더 좋아?dohyeona, neoneun robotboda ingani deo joa?Dohyun, do you like humans more than robots?
- 도현 Do-hyeon당연하지, 나는 인간의 따뜻함이 좋아.dangyeonhaji, naneun inganuui ttatteuthami joa.Of course, I like the warmth of human beings.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “human” translations and entries 인간, 사람, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 사람, 인간, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
