원숭이
wonsung'i[ˈwɘ(ː)nsʰuŋi]
The English word for monkey is 원숭이 (wonsung'i) in Korean.
원숭이 is a noun used to refer to the primate.
Meaning: primate (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
wonsung'i
Did you know?
- There is a common Korean idiom 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다, which literally means 'even monkeys fall from trees'. It is used to remind people that even experts make mistakes.
- The current word 원숭이 actually replaced an older, native Korean word, 잔나비, which was once the standard way to refer to the animal.
- In Korean culture, the monkey is often associated with the concept of 'cleverness' but also 'mischief'. This makes it a common metaphor for a child who cannot sit still.
Examples in context
- 원숭이 고기다.It's monkey meat.This sentence is useful for identifying 원숭이 meat.Tatoeba #11597144 by cherryband, translation #1117904 by Scott
- 원숭이가 내려왔다.The monkey came down.This sentence describes the movement of a 원숭이.Tatoeba #11597138 by cherryband, translation #53937 by CM
- 원숭이가 도망갔다.The monkey got away.This sentence describes a 원숭이 escaping.Tatoeba #11597139 by cherryband, translation #1117893 by Scott
- 안녕하세요 원숭아. 제가 요즘에 원숭이에 대해서 연구를 하고 있어요.Hello, monkey. I've been researching about monkeys these days.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Jieun are at the zoo.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저기 원숭이 좀 봐!Jeogi wonsungi jom bwa!Look at that monkey over there!
- 지은 Ji-eun정말 귀엽게 생겼다.Jeongmal gwiyeopge saenggyeotda.It looks really cute.
- 도현 Do-hyeon원숭이는 정말 똑똑한 것 같아.Wonsungineun jeongmal ttogttokhan geot gata.I think monkeys are really smart.
- 지은 Ji-eun맞아, 행동이 사람 같아.Maja, haengdongi saram gata.True, its behavior is like a human.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “monkey” translations and entries 원숭이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 원숭이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
