달팽이
dalpaeng'i[ta̠ɭpʰɛŋi]
The English word "snail" is translated into Korean as 달팽이 (dalpaeng'i). Wiktionary also lists 와우 (wau).
Meaning: any animal of the class Gastropoda having a shell (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 달팽이 | dalpaeng'i | [ta̠ɭpʰɛŋi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ta̠ɭpʰe̞ŋi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 와우 | wau | [wa̠u] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
달팽이 is used to refer to any animal of the class Gastropoda that possesses a shell.
Which one should you use?
달팽이 is the standard, general term for a snail.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "snail shell", you combine 달팽이 (snail) with 껍질 (shell) to form 달팽이 껍질.
How do you pronounce it?
dalpaeng'i
Did you know?
- The word 와우 can also be a phonetic transliteration of the English exclamation 'wow' used in modern Korean.
- Some Korean folk remedies historically used the 달팽이 for its mucus to treat skin conditions or throat ailments.
- In Korean culture, the 달팽이 is often used as a metaphor for someone who is slow but steady or persistent in reaching a goal.
Examples in context
- 달팽이 껍질Snail's shellThis example shows how to express the concept of a 달팽이 shell.
- 달팽이가 빠르게 움직일 때 비가 온다고 한다.They say when snails move quickly, it's going to rain.
- 오늘 동네에서 이상한 달팽이를 발견했어!I found a strange snail in our neighborhood today!
- 달팽이가 천천히 움직이는 걸 보면 편안해진다.Watching snails move slowly makes me feel relaxed.
- 길가에 달팽이가 있어요.gil-ga-e dal-paeng-i-ga iss-eo-yo.There is a snail on the roadside.
- 달팽이는 아주 느리게 움직여요.dal-paeng-i-neun a-ju neu-ri-ge um-jik-yeo-yo.Snails move very slowly.
Example conversation
Minjun and Subin are looking at a small animal in the park.
- 민준 Min-jun수빈, 여기 달팽이가 있어!Subin, yeogi dalpaeng-iga isseo!Subin, there is a snail here!
- 수빈 Su-bin우와, 정말 작고 귀엽다.uwa, jeongmal jakgo gwiyeopda.Wow, it's really small and cute.
- 민준 Min-jun집 속에 숨고 있어.jip soge sumgo isseo.It's hiding inside its shell.
- 수빈 Su-bin조심해서 다시 놓아주자.josimhaeseo dasi nohajuja.Let's put it back carefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snail” translations and entries 달팽이, 와우, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 달팽이, 와우, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
