How to Say "Kangaroo" in Korean

캥거루

kaenggeoru[kʰɛŋɡʌ̹ɾu]

The English word kangaroo is translated into Korean as 캥거루 (kaenggeoru). Wiktionary also lists 캉가루 (kanggaru).

Meaning: marsupial (noun)

Ways to say it

“kangaroo” in Korean
Korean	Romanization (Wiktionary)	IPA	Note
캥거루	kaenggeoru	[kʰɛŋɡʌ̹ɾu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [kʰe̞ŋɡʌ̹ɾu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow)
캉가루	kanggaru		North Korea

The term refers to the marsupial mammal.

캥거루 is the standard spelling used in South Korea, while 캉가루 is the form used in North Korea.

캉가루 is used in North Korea.

kaenggeoru

In Korea, the image of the 캥거루 is heavily associated with 'motherly love' and protection due to the pouch, often appearing in children's literature and childcare metaphors.
Korean lacks a native word for 'marsupial', so 캥거루 is often used as the primary mental representative for the entire biological category in casual conversation.
While the English word 'kangaroo' has roots in Aboriginal languages, the Korean version is a direct phonetic transliteration of the English sound.

캥거루를 보러 동물원에 갈까요?
Shall we go to the zoo to see kangaroos?
이 캥거루는 정말 귀엽네요!
This kangaroo is really cute!
캥거루는 정말 귀여워요.
kaeng-geo-ru-neun jeong-mal gwi-yeo-wo-yo.
The kangaroo is really cute.
호주에는 캥거루가 많이 살아요.
ho-ju-e-neun kaeng-geo-ru-ga ma-ni sal-a-yo.
Many kangaroos live in Australia.
그 캥거루는 주머니가 있어요.
geu kaeng-geo-ru-neun ju-meo-ni-ga it-seo-yo.
That kangaroo has a pouch.

Dohyun and Minji are looking at a picture book together.

도현 Do-hyeon

민지 씨, 이 동물은 뭐예요?
Minji ssi, i dongmureun mwoyeyo?
Minji, what is this animal?
민지 Min-ji

이건 캥거루예요.
Igeon kaenggeoruyeyo.
This is a kangaroo.
도현 Do-hyeon

정말 귀엽게 생겼네요.
Jeongmal gwiyeopge saenggyeotneyo.
It looks really cute.
민지 Min-ji

네, 저도 좋아해요.
Ne, jeodo joahaeyo.
Yes, I like them too.

Sources

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