메리 크리스마스
meri keuriseumaseu[me̞ɾi kxɯɾisʰɯma̠sʰɯ]
Merry Christmas in Korean is expressed as 메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu) or 즐거운 성탄절.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 메리 크리스마스 | meri keuriseumaseu | [me̞ɾi kxɯɾisʰɯma̠sʰɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 즐거운 성탄절 | jeulgeoun seongtanjeol |
You can express merry christmas wishes using several phrases. 메리 크리스마스 is a direct phonetic loan from English. You can also use 즐거운 크리스마스 되세요! to say Merry Christmas. If you prefer a non-religious alternative, you can say 즐거운 연말 보내세요 to mean 'Have a joyful year-end.'
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase 즐거운 성탄절, the word 즐거운 is the modifier form of the verb 즐겁다, meaning joyful or pleasant, used here to describe the Christmas season.
How do you pronounce it?
meri keuriseumaseu
Did you know?
- In South Korea, Christmas is a legal public holiday, yet it is treated more like a romantic holiday for couples rather than a traditional family-centric holiday like 'Chuseok'.
- In South Korea, Christmas is a public holiday, but in North Korea, the holiday is not officially recognized as it is seen as a foreign imperialist influence.
- The term 성탄절 is a Sino-Korean word derived from Chinese characters, where 성 means 'holy', 탄 means 'birth' and 절 means 'festival'.
Examples in context
- 모두들 메리 크리스마스!Merry Christmas, everybody!This sentence shows how to say Merry Christmas, everybody! using 메리 크리스마스.Tatoeba #8394182 by Eunhee, translation #6556054 by BHO
- 즐거운 성탄절!Merry Christmas!This sentence shows how to say Merry Christmas! using 즐거운 성탄절.Tatoeba #942145 by Sudajaengi, translation #1723 by brauliobezerra
- 영희 씨에게 메리 크리스마스!Merry Christmas to Yeonghui!
- 메리 크리스마스, 모두 행복하게 보내!meri keuriseumaseu, modu haengbokhage bonae!Merry Christmas, everyone, have a happy one!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon meet at a cafe on Christmas Eve.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 메리 크리스마스!seoyeon ssi, meri keuriseumaseu!Seoyeon, Merry Christmas!
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준 씨도 메리 크리스마스!minjun ssido meri keuriseumaseu!Merry Christmas to you too, Minjun!
- 민준 Min-jun오늘 계획이 뭐예요?oneul gyehoegi mwoyeyo?What are your plans for today?
- 서연 Seo-yeon가족들과 저녁을 먹어요.gajokdeulgwa jeonyeogeul meogeoyo.I am having dinner with my family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry christmas” translations and entries 메리 크리스마스, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 메리 크리스마스, 성탄절, 크리스마스, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
