거미줄
geomijul[kʌ̹mid͡ʑuɭ]
The English phrase "spider web" is 거미줄 (geomijul) in Korean.
거미줄 refers to the network of silk threads spun by a spider to catch prey.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 거미, meaning spider and 줄, meaning string or line.
How do you pronounce it?
geomijul
Did you know?
- In Korea, it is a common folk belief that seeing a 거미줄 (spider web) in the morning is a sign of good luck or an omen that a guest will arrive.
- Middle Korean used tonal marks, meaning that in 1481 the word for 'spider web' was pronounced with specific rising and falling pitches as 거믜〮줄〮.
- Unlike in English where 'web' is the primary noun, Korean speakers often focus on the 'string' aspect, making the concept of the web feel more like a collection of individual lines.
Examples in context
- 거미줄을 조심하세요.Please be careful of the spider web.
- 외부에 거미집이 생겼어요.A spider web has formed outside.
- 거미줄이 벽에 붙어 있어요.geomijuri byeoge buteo isseoyo.There is a spider web stuck to the wall.
- 나무 사이에 거미줄이 있네요.namu saie geomijuri inneyo.There is a spider web between the trees.
- 거미줄을 조심해서 치우세요.geomijureul josimhaeseo chiuseyo.Please clean up the spider web carefully.
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are cleaning an old storage room.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 저기 거미줄 좀 보세요.Dohyun ssi, jeogi geomijul jom boseyo.Dohyun, look at that spider web over there.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 많네요. 제가 치울게요.Jeongmal manneyo. Jega chiulgeyo.There are so many. I will clean them up.
- 수빈 Su-bin고마워요. 조심해서 하세요.Gomawoyo. Josimhaeseo haseyo.Thank you. Please be careful.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 걱정 마세요.Ne, geokjeong maseyo.Yes, don't worry.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 거미줄, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 거미줄, CC BY-SA 4.0.
