연꽃
yeonkkot
The Korean word for lotus is 연꽃 (yeonkkot).
The term refers to plants of the genus Nelumbo.
Meaning: plant of the genus Nelumbo (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 연, meaning lotus and 꽃, meaning flower.
Which one should you use?
While 연꽃 is the standard term, the shortened form 연 can also be used to refer to the lotus, typically in more formal, poetic or academic contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
yeonkkot
Did you know?
- Koreans eat the roots of the 연꽃 as a vegetable called 연근. It is a popular side dish often sliced into circles that look like wheels with holes.
- In Korean Buddhism, the 연꽃 represents purity because it blooms in muddy water without becoming stained. This symbolizes the ability of a person to remain untainted by the world's desires.
- The word 연 is derived from the Hanja character 蓮. This character is shared with Chinese and Japanese, reflecting a shared East Asian cultural history regarding the plant.
Examples in context
- 연꽃은 한국의 전통적인 꽃 중 하나입니다.The lotus is one of Korea's traditional flowers.
- 나는 매년 이맘 때 연꽃 구경을 가요.I go to see the lotus flowers every year around this time.
- 연꽃이 정말 아름다워요.yeon-kkoci jeong-mal a-reum-da-wo-yo.The lotus is really beautiful.
- 연꽃은 진흙 속에서 자라요.yeon-kkoc-eun jin-heuk sok-e-seo ja-ra-yo.Lotuses grow in the mud.
- 연못에 연꽃이 많이 피었네요.yeon-mot-e yeon-kkoc-i ma-ni pi-eot-ne-yo.Many lotuses have bloomed in the pond.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-u are walking through a botanical garden.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 저기 연꽃 좀 보세요.Hyeon-u ssi, jeogi yeonkkot jom boseyo.Hyeon-u, look at those lotuses over there.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo와, 색깔이 정말 예쁘네요.wa, saekkkari jeongmal yeppeuneyo.Wow, the color is really pretty.
- 지은 Ji-eun여름에만 볼 수 있어서 특별해요.yeoreumeman bol su isseoseo teukbyeolhaeyo.It's special because you can only see them in summer.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말 그렇네요. 같이 사진 찍어요.jeongmal geureonneyo. gati sajin jjigeoyo.You're right. Let's take a photo together.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 연꽃, CC BY-SA 4.0.
