인도
indo[indo̞]
In Korean, sidewalk is 인도 (indo). Wiktionary also lists 보도 (bodo).
Meaning: paved footpath (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 인도 | indo | [indo̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 보도 | bodo | [ˈpo̞(ː)do̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a paved footpath for pedestrians.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 인도 is a compound of 인, meaning person and 도, meaning road or way.
Which one should you use?
While both 인도 and 보도 mean sidewalk, 인도 is more commonly used in everyday conversation, whereas 보도 is a more technical or administrative term.
How do you pronounce it?
indo
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may be confused because the word 인도 is spelled identically to the Korean word for India.
Did you know?
- While 인도 means 'sidewalk', the same phonetic word can also mean 'extradition' or 'handing over' in a legal context.
- While 인도 literally means 'human path', it is also the word for 'humanity' or 'the way of mankind' when used in a philosophical context.
- Because 인도 is also the word for 'India', it is a favorite target for 'dad jokes' and puns in Korean comedy and pop culture.
Examples in context
- 보행자들이 인도를 따라 걷고 있다.Pedestrians are walking along the sidewalk.This sentence shows how to use 인도 when describing pedestrians walking along a sidewalk.
- 지난 주말에 쇼핑몰 앞 보도에서 친구들과 만났어요.I met up with my friends on the sidewalk in front of the shopping mall last weekend.
- 사무실까지 가기 위해서 건너편 인도를 따라 갈게요.I will go along the sidewalk across the street to get to the office.
- 공원 앞 길가에서 자전거를 타고 놀았어요.I rode a bicycle and played along the sidewalk in front of the park.
- 인도가 너무 좁아요.indoga neomu jobayo.The sidewalk is too narrow.
- 인도로 내려가세요.indoro naeryeogaseyo.Please step down onto the sidewalk.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are walking near a busy street.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 인도로 걸어요.Subin-ssi, indoro georeoyo.Subin, walk on the sidewalk.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 알겠어요.Ne, algesseoyo.Okay, I understand.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo차가 너무 빨리 지나가요.Chaga neomu ppalli jinagayo.The cars are passing by too fast.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 위험하네요.Jeongmal wiheomhaneyo.It really is dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sidewalk” translations and entries 인도, 보도, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 보도, 인도, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
