올빼미
olppaemi[o̞ɭp͈ɛmi]
The English word "owl" can be translated into Korean as 올빼미 (olppaemi) or 부엉이.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 올빼미 | olppaemi | [o̞ɭp͈ɛmi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [o̞ɭp͈e̞mi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 부엉이 | bueong'i | [puʌ̹ŋi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both terms refer to owls, but they are used to distinguish between different types of the bird based on physical characteristics.
Which one should you use?
올빼미 (olppaemi) specifically refers to earless owls, such as the screech owl. In contrast, 부엉이 (bueong'i) refers to owls that have ear tufts, such as the eagle owl.
How do you pronounce it?
olppaemi
Did you know?
- Korean folklore sometimes associates the 부엉이 with wealth and prosperity.
- In Korea, a person who stays up very late at night is often called an 올빼미 'owl'.
- The word 부엉이 is actually an onomatopoeia, as it is derived from the sound of an owl's hooting.
Examples in context
- 부엉이는 밤에 활동하며 어두운 곳에서 잠을 자요.Owls are active at night and sleep in dark places.
- 올빼미는 밤에 활동해요.olppaemineun bame hwaldonghaeyo.An owl is active at night.
- 그 올빼미는 눈이 아주 커요.geu olppaemineun nuni aju keoyo.That owl has very large eyes.
- 숲에서 올빼미 소리를 들었어요.supeseo olppaemi sorireul deureosseoyo.I heard the sound of an owl in the forest.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Minji are watching a nature documentary together.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저 올빼미 진짜 귀엽다!jeo olppaemi jinjja gwiyeopda!That owl is so cute!
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 눈이 정말 커요.majayo, nuni jeongmal keoyo.Right, its eyes are really big.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지는 올빼미를 좋아해요?Minjineun olppaemireul joahaeyo?Do you like owls, Minji?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 아주 좋아해요.ne, aju joahaeyo.Yes, I like them very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “owl” translations and entries 올빼미, 부엉이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
