올챙이
olchaeng'i[o̞ʎt͡ɕʰɛŋi]
The English word "tadpole" is translated into Korean as 올챙이 (olchaeng'i).
올챙이 is a noun used to refer to a toad or frog larva.
Meaning: toad or frog larva (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is olchaeng'i.
Did you know?
- While 올챙이 means 'tadpole', the Korean word for 'frog' 개구리 literally contains a word meaning 'dog', though there is no biological link.
- While English uses 'tadpole' to describe the larva, Korean culture sometimes uses the imagery of 올챙이 to symbolize a person who has not yet reached their full potential.
- If you were to look for the word 올챙이 in historical documents, you would find it documented in the 'Hunminjeong'eum haerye', which explains the principles of the Korean alphabet.
Examples in context
- 연못에 올챙이가 많아요.yeonmote olchaengiga manhayo.There are many tadpoles in the pond.
- 올챙이가 아주 작아요.olchaengiga aju jagayo.The tadpole is very small.
- 올챙이를 관찰하고 있어요.olchaengireul gwanchalhago isseoyo.I am observing the tadpole.
Example conversation
A boy and a girl are looking at a pond in a park.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 저기 올챙이가 보여요?Hyeonu ssi, jeogi olchaengiga boyeoyo?Hyeonu, can you see the tadpole over there?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 서연 씨. 정말 작네요.Ne, Seoyeon ssi. Jeongmal jakneyo.Yes, Seoyeon. It is really small.
- 서연 Seo-yeon올챙이가 헤엄치고 있어요.Olchaengiga heeomchigo isseoyo.The tadpole is swimming.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo귀여운 올챙이네요.Gwiyeoun olchaengineyo.It is a cute tadpole.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tadpole” translations and entries 올챙이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
