Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 현명하다 | hyeonmyeonghada | [çʌ̹nmjʌ̹ŋɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 명철하다 | myeongcheolhada | [mjʌ̹ŋt͡ɕʰʌ̹ɾɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 지혜롭다 | jihyeropda | [t͡ɕiʝe̞ɾo̞p̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [t͡ɕiɦe̞ɾo̞p̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 슬기롭다 | seulgiropda | [sʰɯɭɡiɾo̞p̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term for "sage" changes based on whether you are describing a quality of wisdom, a person or the herb. For describing a person as a sage (noun), 현자 is the most common term used in philosophical or general contexts. If you are referring specifically to the culinary herb sage, the English word is transliterated as 세이지.
Which one should you use?
While 현명하다 often implies being wise through judgment and clarity, 지혜롭다 emphasizes possessing deep, intuitive wisdom or life insight. In contrast, the native Korean word 슬기롭다 carries a nuance of being resourceful or clever in practical, everyday situations. For a more formal and literary sense, 명철하다 describes someone whose wisdom is characterized by sharp, penetrating discernment.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
hyeonmyeonghada
Did you know?
- The word 슬기 is a popular given name for girls in Korea, meaning 'wisdom' or 'resourcefulness'.
- The word 현명하다 is composed of the characters 현 meaning 'virtuous' and 명 meaning 'bright'.
- The word 슬기 (seulgi) in 슬기롭다 is a pure Korean word (native), whereas many other synonyms for 'sage' or 'wise' are derived from Chinese characters (Hanja).
Examples in context
- 그는 매우 현명하다.geuneun mae-u hyeon-myeong-ha-da.He is very wise.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are discussing a problem with a friend.
- 민준 Min-jun어떻게 하면 좋을까?eotteoke hamyeon joeulkka?What should I do?
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨는 현명하다 생각해요.minjun ssineun hyeonmyeonghada saenggakaeyo.I think you are wise, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun고마워, 민지야.gomawo, minjiya.Thanks, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji스스로 결정할 수 있을 거예요.seuseuro gyeoljeonghal su isseul geoyeyo.You will be able to decide for yourself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sage” translations and entries 현명하다, 명철하다, 지혜롭다, 슬기롭다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 명철하다, 슬기롭다, 지혜롭다, 현명하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
