바다
bada[pa̠da̠]
The Korean word for sea is 바다 (bada). Wiktionary also lists 해양 (haeyang).
Meaning: body of water (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 바다 | bada | [pa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 해양 | haeyang | [ˈhɛ(ː)ja̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈhe̞(ː)ja̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a body of water. The term 해변 is used to refer to the beach in Korean.
Which one should you use?
While 바다 is the common word for sea, 해양 is a more technical or formal term often used in scientific, academic or administrative contexts (e.g., marine science or oceanography).
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing an action occurring within the sea (like swimming), the particle –에서 is used with 바다 to indicate the location of the activity. When expressing movement toward the sea, the particle –로 is used to indicate direction.
How do you pronounce it?
bada
Did you know?
- Linguists suggest that the Korean word 바다 may be the original source for the Japanese word wata, meaning 'sea'.
- The common word 바다 may share a common ancestor with the Korean word 바닥, which means 'floor' or 'flat surface'.
- The word 해양 is a Sino-Korean word, meaning it is built from Chinese characters rather than being native Korean.
Examples in context
- 내가 어릴 때는 바다에 수영하러 가곤 했었지.I used to go swimming in the sea when I was a child.This sentence shows how to use 바다 when talking about swimming in the sea.Tatoeba #1587113 by JanAson, translation #1585488 by gizem
- 바다와 하늘 모두 얼마나 푸르렀는지, 수평선 따위는 누군가 지어낸 이야기일 뿐이라고 나는 확신했다.The sea and the sky were both so blue that I was certain that the horizon was but a story someone had made up.This sentence uses 바다 to describe the color of the sea and the sky.
- 바다에는 섬이 있다.There are islands in the sea.This sentence uses 바다 to state that there are islands in the sea.Tatoeba #3715312 by Balamax, translation #3663249 by shekitten
- 그들은 바다를 향해 출발했다.They set off towards the sea.
- 휴가 때 바다에 가고 싶어.I want to go to the sea during vacation.
- 오늘은 해변에서 수영하기로 했어.We decided to go swimming at the beach today.
- 바닷가에서 회를 먹으며 바다를 바라보았다.I ate raw fish at the seaside and looked at the sea.
- 갯바위 위에서 바다 소리를 들을 수 있다.You can hear the sound of the sea from the rocky cliffs.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Seoyeon are planning a weekend trip.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo이번 주말에 바다 보러 갈까요?ibeon jumare bada boreo galkkayo?Shall we go see the sea this weekend?
- 서연 Seo-yeon좋아요! 저는 바다를 정말 좋아해요.joayo! jeoneun badareul jeongmal joahaeyo.I'd love to! I really love the sea.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo어느 바다로 가는 게 좋을까요?eoneu badaro ganeun ge jokeulkkayo?Which sea would be a good place to go?
- 서연 Seo-yeon동해 바다가 가장 깨끗하고 좋대요.donghae badaga gajang kkaekkeuthago jodaeyo.I heard the East Sea is the cleanest and best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea” translations and entries 바다, 해양, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 바다, 해양, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
