선글라스
seon'geullaseu[s͈ʌ̹nɡɯɭɭa̠s͈ɯ]
The English phrase 'sunglasses' can be translated into Korean as 선글라스 (seon'geullaseu). Wiktionary also lists 썬글라스 (sseon'geullaseu) and 색안경 (saegan'gyeong).
Meaning: tinted glasses worn to protect the eyes from the sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 선글라스 | seon'geullaseu | [s͈ʌ̹nɡɯɭɭa̠s͈ɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 썬글라스 | sseon'geullaseu | [s͈ʌ̹nɡɯɭɭa̠s͈ɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 색안경 | saegan'gyeong | [sʰɛɡa̠(ː)nɡjʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ɡa̠(ː)nɡjʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
When expressing the action of wearing them, the verb 쓰다 is used with this noun.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 색안경 is a compound of 색, meaning 'color' and 안경, meaning 'glasses', literally translating to 'tinted glasses'.
Which one should you use?
선글라스 is a loanword specifically used for sunglasses. In contrast, 색안경 can also be used metaphorically to describe a biased or prejudiced view.
How do you pronounce it?
seon'geullaseu
Did you know?
- Korean distinguishes between the verb used for wearing sunglasses 쓰다 and the verb used for wearing a watch or jewelry 하다.
- The spelling 썬글라스 is a common phonetic variation of 선글라스 to more closely mimic the English 'sun' sound, though the latter is the standard orthography.
- The term 색안경 is a Sino-Korean word, meaning its roots are found in Chinese characters rather than native Korean. This is why it feels more formal or literary than the loanword 선글라스.
Examples in context
- 모자와 선글라스를 쓰는 것이 좋다.You should wear a hat and sunglasses.This sentence shows the combination of wearing a hat and the noun 선글라스.Tatoeba #11107585 by intertime, translation #11104744 by CK
- 이 선글라스 얼마였어?How much did these sunglasses cost?This sentence is useful for asking about the price of the noun 선글라스.Tatoeba #8367854 by Eunhee, translation #3626484 by CK
- 햇빛이 너무 강해서 선글라스를 써야겠어.The sun is so bright that I should wear my sunglasses.This sentence demonstrates using the noun 선글라스 when the sun is bright.
- 그래서 선글라스 하나 사려고 생각 중이야.So I'm thinking of buying a pair of sunglasses.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Minji are getting ready to go to the beach.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 선글라스 챙겼어요?Minji ssi, seonglellaseu chaenggyeosseoyo?Minji, did you pack your sunglasses?
- 민지 Min-ji아니요, 깜빡했어요.Aniyo, kkamppakhaesseoyo.No, I forgot them.
- 도현 Do-hyeon제 선글라스 하나 더 있는데 빌려줄게요.Je seonglellaseu hana deo inneunde billyeojulgeyo.I have an extra pair of sunglasses, so I'll lend them to you.
- 민지 Min-ji정말 고마워요, 도현 씨!Jeongmal gomawoyo, Dohyun ssi!Thank you so much, Dohyun!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunglasses” translations and entries 선글라스, 썬글라스, 색안경, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
