Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 배 | bae | [pɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [pe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 선박 | seonbak | [sʰʌ̹nba̠k̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 선 | seon | [sʰʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | compound |
The word 배 refers to a large water craft. However, it is a very common homonym in Korean and can also mean 'pear', 'belly' or 'times' (as in multiplication) depending on the context of your sentence.
Which one should you use?
선박 is a more technical and formal term for a ship or vessel.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
선박 is a formal alternative often used in professional, legal or technical contexts, such as in the shipping industry or news reports.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 선 is used as a component in compound words to refer to vessels, such as in the words for 'warship' or 'crew member'.
How do you pronounce it?
bae
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because 배 is a homonym that can mean 'ship', 'belly', 'pear' or 'times', English speakers should be careful to use context to ensure the listener understands which meaning is intended.
Did you know?
- The word 배 for 'ship' was recorded in the Jīlín lèishì as early as 1103, centuries before the modern Korean alphabet was created.
- The word 배 is so versatile that it is used both to describe a physical water craft and to express mathematical multiplication.
Examples in context
- 배에 한번이라도 타본 적 있어?Have you ever been on a ship?This sentence uses 배 to ask about a past experience of being on a ship.Tatoeba #8362218 by Eunhee, translation #6352650 by CK
- 배를 버려라!Abandon ship!This sentence uses 배 in the command to abandon a ship.Tatoeba #11104698 by intertime, translation #273489 by CK
- 크리스토퍼 콜럼버스의 배만큼 두껍고 세 배나 넓은 크기를 가진 신화 속 괴물인 크라켄은 그의 함선을 공격했고, 결국 콜럼버스는 그 괴물을 먹을 수 밖에 없었어.The mythical Kraken, thick as a ship and three times as wide, once made an attack on Christopher Columbus's fleet… giving Columbus no choice but to eat him.This sentence uses 배 to compare the size of a mythical creature to a ship.Tatoeba #4739069 by kumdonghee, translation #545608 by FeuDRenais
- 선박의 탑승 절차를 따라주세요.Please follow the boarding procedures of the ship.
- 오늘은 배를 타러 갈래?Do you want to go ride a ship today?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are looking at the harbor.
- 지훈 Ji-hun저기 큰 배가 보여.jeogi keun baega boyeo.I see a large ship over there.
- 민지 Min-ji정말 멋진 배네!jeongmal meotjin baene!That is a really cool ship!
- 지훈 Ji-hun저 배는 어디로 가는 걸까?jeo baeneun eodiro ganeun geolkka?I wonder where that ship is going.
- 민지 Min-ji아마 먼 바다로 떠날 거야.ama meon bada-ro tteonal geoya.It is probably heading out to the far sea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ship” translations and entries 배, 선박, 선, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 배, 선, 선박, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
