시
si[ɕʰi]
Poetry in Korean is 시 (si).
시 is a noun used to refer to literature composed in verse. For more specific contexts, you might encounter related terms: 시문학 refers to the study of poetry as a specific field within literature and 시조 is a traditional Korean poetry form consisting of three lines. If you want to describe the act of writing, you can use the phrase 시를 쓰다.
Meaning: literature composed in verse (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is si.
Did you know?
- Korean has a specific term for the beauty of the 'empty space' in a poem, which mirrors the aesthetic of traditional ink wash paintings. This concept emphasizes what is left unsaid over the written words.
- Historically, 시조 was often performed as a song accompanied by instruments rather than read silently. This means the line between poetry and lyric music was almost nonexistent in ancient Korea.
- During the Japanese colonial period, writing 시 in the Korean language became a powerful act of political resistance and national identity.
Examples in context
- 우리 둘 다 시를 좋아해.We both love poetry.Tatoeba #8490491 by Eunhee, translation #6608757 by Hybrid
- 시를 읊다To recite poetry
- 그는 아름다운 시를 썼다.geuneun areumdaun sireul sseotda.He wrote beautiful poetry.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun are talking about a bookstore.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 이 시집 어때요?Minjun ssi, i sijip eottaeyo?Min-jun, how is this poetry book?
- 민준 Min-jun지은 씨, 이 시 정말 좋네요.Jieun ssi, i si jeongmal jonneyo.Ji-eun, this poetry is really good.
- 지은 Ji-eun저도 시를 읽는 것을 좋아해요.Jeodo sireul ilgneun geoseul joahaeyo.I also like reading poetry.
- 민준 Min-jun우리 같이 시를 읽으러 갈까요?Uri gachi sireul ilgeureo galkkayo?Shall we go read some poetry together?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poetry” translations and entries 시, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
