공주
gongju[ko̞ŋd͡ʑu]
The English word "princess" is translated into Korean as 공주 (gongju). Wiktionary also lists 왕녀 (wangnyeo).
Meaning: female member of royal family (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 공주 | gongju | [ko̞ŋd͡ʑu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 왕녀 | wangnyeo | [wa̠ŋɲʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
공주 is used to refer to a female member of a royal family. It is the most common way to say princess in both historical contexts and modern settings, such as in fairy tales. In modern slang, calling someone a 공주 can be used sarcastically to describe a woman who acts entitled or expects to be treated with extreme care.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 왕녀 is composed of 왕 (king) and 녀 (female/daughter).
Which one should you use?
공주 is the most common way to say princess and is used in both historical and modern contexts. In contrast, 왕녀 is a more formal, technical term specifically used in historical or official contexts to denote a female member of a royal bloodline.
How do you pronounce it?
gongju
Did you know?
- In modern Korean pop culture, the term 공주병 (princess disease) describes a delusional state where a person believes they are far more beautiful or special than they actually are.
- The word 공주 is also the name of a city in South Korea. When written in Hanja, this place name uses the characters for 'public' and 'state' rather than the characters for 'princess'.
- While 공주 is the standard term, historical Korean royalty had a complex system of titles where a daughter's rank depended on whether her mother was the primary queen or a concubine.
Examples in context
- 저 여자애는 자기가 공주라는 망상에 빠져 있어.That girl is under the delusion that she is a princess.This sentence is useful for seeing how 공주 is used when describing someone's delusion.Tatoeba #8363668 by Eunhee, translation #68221 by CK
- 안녕하세요, 공주님?Hello, princess?
- 안녕, 공주!Hi, princess!
- 그녀는 마치 공주처럼 행동해요.geunyeoneun machi gongjuchoreom haengdonghaeyo.She acts just like a princess.
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyeon are watching a fantasy movie together.
- 민지 Min-ji저 공주 정말 아름답지 않아?jeo gongju jeongmal areumdapji ana?Isn't that princess really beautiful?
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 정말 예쁜 공주네.eung, jeongmal yeppeun gongjune.Yeah, she is a really pretty princess.
- 민지 Min-ji도현아, 너는 공주가 좋아?dohyeona, neoneun gongjuga joa?Dohyeon, do you like princesses?
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 나는 그런 동화가 좋아.eung, naneun geureon donghwaga joa.Yes, I like those kinds of fairy tales.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “princess” translations and entries 공주, 왕녀, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 공주, 왕녀, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
