운동화
undonghwa[ˈu(ː)ndo̞ŋβwa̠]
The English phrase "sneakers" is translated into Korean as 운동화 (undonghwa).
The term refers to comfortable shoes designed for sports or casual daily wear.
How do you pronounce it?
undonghwa
Did you know?
- When buying 운동화 in Korea, you will often see the term 커플 운동화, referring to identical pairs of sneakers bought by romantic couples to show their bond.
- In some Korean schools, students switch from their outdoor 운동화 to indoor shoes called 실내화 immediately upon entering the building.
- The word 운동화 literally translates to 'exercise shoes'. Unlike the English word 'sneakers' which comes from the idea of sneaking silently, the Korean term focuses on the shoe's intended purpose.
Examples in context
- 저는 운동화를 즐겨 신어요.I enjoy wearing sneakers.
- 새 운동화가 필요해요.sae undonghwaga piryohaeyo.I need new sneakers.
- 이 운동화는 정말 편해요.i undohwaneun jeongmal pyeonhaeyo.These sneakers are really comfortable.
- 흰색 운동화를 신고 싶어요.huinsaek undohwareul singo sipeoyo.I want to wear white sneakers.
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyeon are shopping at a shoe store.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨, 이 운동화 어때요?Dohyeon ssi, i undohwa eottaeyo?Dohyeon, what do you think of these sneakers?
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 디자인이 아주 예뻐요.Minji ssi, dijaini aju yeppeoyo.Minji, the design is very pretty.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 그런데 조금 비싸요.Majayo, geureonde jogeum bissayo.True, but they are a bit expensive.
- 도현 Do-hyeon그래도 좋은 운동화예요.Geuraedo joeun undohwayeyo.Still, they are good sneakers.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 운동화, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
