마법
mabeop[ma̠bʌ̹p̚]
The English word magic is translated into Korean as 마법 (mabeop).
마법 is most commonly used in the context of fantasy literature, movies and games to describe actual supernatural powers. For example, someone who possesses these powers is called a 마법사, which means wizard.
Meaning: illusion performed to give the appearance of magic or the supernatural (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between 마법 and 마술. While 마법 refers to supernatural magic in fantasy, 마술 is the term used for stage magic or illusions performed by magicians.
How do you pronounce it?
mabeop
Did you know?
- The word 마법 is derived from the Chinese characters for 'demon' or 'magic' and 'law', suggesting that magic is a set of rules or a system to be studied.
- The phrase 마법에 걸리다 literally means 'to be caught in magic', which is the standard way to say someone is under a spell.
- While 마법 refers to supernatural magic, the term 마술 is often used in Korean to describe a 'trick' or 'hack' in everyday life, such as a 'magic' way to clean a house.
Examples in context
- 마술은 믿기 어려울 정도로 놀라운 것입니다.Magic is something so amazing that it's hard to believe.
- 오늘 친구가 장난감 마술을 보여줬어!Today, my friend showed me a toy magic trick!
- 그는 요술 같은 솜씨로 무대를 압도했어!He overwhelmed the stage with his magical skills!
Example conversation
Minji and Hyunwoo are at a street performance.
- 민지 Min-ji현우 씨, 저 마법 공연 봐요!Hyeonwoo ssi, jeo mabeop gongyeon bwayo!Hyunwoo, look at that magic show!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo와, 정말 신기하네요.wa, jeongmal singihaneyo.Wow, it's really amazing.
- 민지 Min-ji어떻게 마법을 부리는 걸까요?eotteoke mabeobeul burineun geolkkayo?I wonder how he performs the magic.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo비밀이라서 알 수 없어요.bimiriraseo al su eopseoyo.It's a secret, so we can't know.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 마법, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 마법, CC BY-SA 4.0.
