땅
ttang[t͈a̠ŋ]
In Korean, the word for land is 땅 (ttang). Wiktionary also lists 뭍 (mut) and 토지 (toji).
Meaning: part of Earth that is not covered by oceans or other bodies of water (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 땅 | ttang | [t͈a̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 뭍 | mut | [mut̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 토지 | toji | [tʰo̞d͡ʑi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 육지 | yukji | [juk̚t͡ɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 륙지 | ryukji | [ɾjuk̚t͡ɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
The most common way to refer to land or the physical ground/soil under one's feet is 땅. While it refers to a part of Earth not covered by water, it can also be used metaphorically to mean one's personal territory or domain.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the context: 땅 is the everyday term for land or ground. 육지 is a technical term used to distinguish a landmass from the sea or ocean. 뭍 is a more literary or poetic way to describe the land in contrast to the sea. 토지 is a formal term used when discussing land as a commodity or real estate, specifically for purposes like agriculture, cultivation or construction.
Is it said differently in some regions?
륙지 is the North Korean spelling for the landmass term 육지.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
ttang
Did you know?
- The word 땅 is not a direct descendant of the Seoul Middle Korean word ᄯᅡᇂ, but actually evolved from an old dialectal version.
Examples in context
- 톰이 이 땅을 소유하고 있습니다.Tom owns this land.This sentence shows how to express ownership of a specific piece of land using 땅.Tatoeba #13139938 by SN_H, translation #3442133 by CK
- 내가 너라면 난 네 땅을 안 팔텐데.If I were you, I wouldn't sell your land.This sentence uses 땅 to express a hypothetical situation regarding the sale of land.Tatoeba #8533716 by Eunhee, translation #8525170 by CK
- 한국의 땅은 아름다워요.The land of Korea is beautiful.
- 그는 아버지로부터 농지를 상속받았어요.He inherited farmland from his father.
- 이 땅은 정말 비싸요.i ttang-eun jeong-mal bi-ssa-yo.This land is really expensive.
Example conversation
Subin and Jihun are walking through a rural area.
- 수빈 Su-bin여기는 땅이 아주 넓네요.yeo-gi-neun ttang-i a-ju neol-beun-ne-yo.The land is very wide here.
- 지훈 Ji-hun맞아요, 농사짓기 좋아 보여요.ma-ja-yo, nong-sa-jit-gi jo-a bo-yeo-yo.That's right, it looks good for farming.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨는 이 땅이 마음에 들어요?ji-hun ssi-neun i ttang-i ma-eum-e deu-reo-yo?Jihun, do you like this land?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 정말 마음에 들어요.ne, jeong-mal ma-eum-e deu-reo-yo.Yes, I really like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “land” translations and entries 땅, 뭍, 토지, 육지, 륙지, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 땅, 뭍, 육지, 토지, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
