암말
ammal[a̠mma̠ɭ]
The Korean word for mare is 암말 (ammal).
암말 is a noun used to refer specifically to a female horse.
Meaning: female horse (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
This word is a compound of 암, meaning female and 말, meaning horse.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ammal.
Did you know?
- In Korean, the prefix 암 is used for females and 수 for males when referring to animals, but using these for humans is considered a severe insult.
- The word 말 is used in the name of the traditional Korean game 'Yutnori', where the game pieces are called 말, meaning 'horses', as they race across the board.
- The word 암 specifically designates the female sex in animals, but it is also the root for the Korean word for 'cancer' (암), though the two are unrelated in meaning.
Examples in context
- 그 암말은 매우 온순해요.geu ammareun maeu onsunhaeyo.That mare is very gentle.
- 우리는 암말 한 마리를 샀어요.urineun ammal han mareul sasseoyo.We bought one mare.
- 암말이 새끼를 낳았어요.ammari saekkireul naasseoyo.The mare gave birth to a foal.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Minjun are visiting a horse farm.
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준 씨, 저기 있는 암말 좀 보세요.Minjun ssi, jeogi inneun ammal jom boseyo.Minjun, look at that mare over there.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 예쁘네요. 털 색깔이 아주 좋아요.jeongmal yeppeuneyo. teol saekkkal-i aju joayo.It's really beautiful. The coat color is very nice.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맞아요. 아주 건강한 암말 같아요.majayo. aju geonganghan ammal gatayo.Right. It looks like a very healthy mare.
- 민준 Min-jun저 말의 이름은 무엇인가요?jeo mal-ui ireum-eun mueosingayo?What is that horse's name?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mare” translations and entries 암말, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
