해
hae[hɛ]
In Korean, the word for sun is 해 (hae) or 태양.
Meaning: the star around which the Earth revolves (name)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 해 | hae | [hɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [he̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 태양 | taeyang | [tʰɛja̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [tʰe̞ja̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The primary meaning of these words is the star around which the Earth revolves. Both 해 and 태양 can also refer to a star as the center of any single solar system. Interestingly, 해 can occasionally mean 'day' depending on the context of the sentence.
Which one should you use?
While both words refer to the sun, 태양 is the more formal or scientific term, frequently used in astronomy or technical contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When 해 is used as the subject of a sentence, it often takes the subject marker '가' to become 해가.
How do you pronounce it?
hae
Did you know?
- Because 해 can mean both 'sun' and 'year', the Korean word for 'New Year' is 새해, which literally translates to 'new sun'.
- The word 해 is so common that it also appears as a contraction for the verb form 하여, making it a word that can function as both a noun and a verb.
- The word 해 is an incredibly versatile homonym in Korean, as it can also be the sound for the words 'sea', 'to solve', and 'to harm' depending on the Hanja used.
Examples in context
- 태양은 달보다 더 밝아.The sun is brighter than the moon.This sentence uses 태양 to compare the brightness of the sun to the moon.Tatoeba #8365774 by Eunhee, translation #275123 by CK
- 두 시간 후에 해가 질 거야.The sun will go down in two hours.This sentence uses 해 to describe the sun setting in two hours.Tatoeba #8533892 by Eunhee, translation #8533300 by sundown
- 해가 도시 위로 떠오는 것을 지켜봤다.I watched the sun rise over the city.This sentence uses 해 to describe watching the sun rise over a city.Tatoeba #4568867 by imjcooper, translation #4567906 by Hybrid
- 오늘 해가 아주 밝아요.The sun is very bright today.
- 태양은 높게 떠 있어요.The sun is high up in the sky.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are hiking on a bright afternoon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 해가 너무 뜨거운데요?Jihoon ssi, haega neomu tteugeoundeyo?Jihoon, the sun is too hot, isn't it?
- 지훈 Ji-hun맞아요, 서연 씨도 땀을 많이 흘리네요.Majayo, Seoyeon ssi-do ttameul mani heullineyo.You're right, Seoyeon is sweating a lot too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon잠시 해를 피해서 쉬러 갈까요?Jamsi haereul pihaeseo swireo galkkayo?Shall we go rest in the shade to avoid the sun for a bit?
- 지훈 Ji-hun좋아요, 저 나무 아래로 가요.Joayo, jeo namu araero gayo.Good idea, let's go under that tree.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sun” translations and entries 해, 태양, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 태양, 해, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
