축구
chukgu[t͡ɕʰuk̚k͈u]
The Korean word for soccer is 축구 (chukgu). Wiktionary also lists 풋볼 (putbol) and 사커 (sakeo).
Meaning: game (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 축구 | chukgu | [t͡ɕʰuk̚k͈u] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 풋볼 | putbol | [pʰut̚p͈o̞ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 사커 | sakeo | [s͈a̠kʰʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The primary way to refer to the sport of soccer is 축구. If you want to specify a soccer match or a soccer game, you combine 축구 with the word 경기 (match/game) to form 축구 경기.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 축구 is a compound of 축 (foot) and 구 (ball), literally meaning foot ball.
Which one should you use?
축구 is the standard and most common term used for the sport in Korea. In contrast, 풋볼 is a loanword from 'football' and is often used when referring to American football or to discuss the sport in a more Westernized context. 사커 is a phonetic loanword of 'soccer' and is much less common in everyday conversation than 축구.
How do you pronounce it?
chukgu
Did you know?
- During major tournaments like the World Cup, people in Korea engage in 'street cheering' at Gwanghwamun Plaza, creating one of the largest outdoor sports viewing parties in the world.
- The word 축구 is a Sino-Korean word, meaning it is derived from Chinese characters. This reflects the historical influence of Chinese scholarship and administration on the Korean language.
- The word for ball, 구, is used as a suffix in many other sports, such as 농구 for basketball and 배구 for volleyball.
Examples in context
- 축구는 세계 제일의 스포츠야!Soccer is the best sport of the world!This sentence is useful for expressing that soccer is the best sport in the world using 축구.Tatoeba #13250312 by qiwiwi, translation #10735533 by omniglotman
- 축구는 11멍의 선수로 팀이 구성된다.A soccer team consists of eleven players.This sentence describes how a soccer team is composed of eleven players using 축구.Tatoeba #13151249 by SN_H, translation #54124 by CK
- 이 나라에는 축구 경기장이 얼마나 있습니까?How many soccer stadiums are there in this country?This sentence is useful for asking how many soccer stadiums exist in a country using 축구.Tatoeba #2110898 by JanAson, translation #1820776 by Amastan
- 축구를 보는 걸 좋아해요.I enjoy watching soccer.
- 저는 축구선수가 되고 싶어요.I want to become a soccer player.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their weekend plans.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이번 주말에 축구 하러 갈래?Ibeon jumare chukgu hareogallae?Do you want to go play soccer this weekend?
- 서연 Seo-yeon좋아, 나 축구 정말 좋아해!Joa, na chukgu jeongmal joahae!Sure, I really love soccer!
- 도현 Do-hyeon그럼 토요일 오후에 공원에서 보자.Geureom toyoil ohu-e gongwon-eseo boja.Then let's meet at the park on Saturday afternoon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon알았어, 도현아. 그때 봐!Arasseo, Dohyeon-ah. Geuttae bwa!Okay, Dohyeon. See you then!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soccer” translations and entries 축구, 풋볼, 사커, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
