토마토
tomato[tʰo̞ma̠tʰo̞]
The English word "tomato" is translated into Korean as 토마토. Wiktionary also lists 도마도 (domado) and 일년감 (illyeon'gam).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 토마토 | tomato | [tʰo̞ma̠tʰo̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 도마도 | domado | ||
| 일년감 | illyeon'gam | [iʎʎʌ̹nɡa̠m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
The word is used to refer to the fruit known as a tomato.
Which one should you use?
토마토 is the standard form, while 도마도 is a dialectal variation. In North Korea, the term 일년감 is especially used to refer to a tomato.
Is it said differently in some regions?
일년감 is used in North Korea. 도마도 is a dialectal variation.
How do you pronounce it?
tomato
Did you know?
- The word 토마토 traveled a vast distance to reach Korea, originating from the Classical Nahuatl word tomatl in Mexico via Spanish and English.
- Because 토마토 is a palindrome, it is frequently used in Korean schools to teach children about symmetrical words.
- North Korea's use of 일년감 is part of a broader linguistic policy called 'Munhwaeo' which seeks to replace foreign loanwords with native or Sino-Korean terms.
Examples in context
- 봐, 모차르트를 들려준 토마토가 자랐어!Look, a tomato which grew up listening to Mozart!This sentence illustrates the use of 토마토 in a playful context.Tatoeba #11104591 by intertime, translation #4717671 by xorgy
- 가스파초는 스페인의 식혀먹는 토마토 채소 수프입니다.Gazpacho is a cold tomato and vegetable soup from Spain.This sentence shows how 토마토 is used when describing a type of soup.Tatoeba #13008051 by Uwe, translation #2214194 by Hybrid
- 토마토가 정말 빨갛고 맛있어 보이네요.tomato-ga jeongmal ppalgatgo masisseo boineyo.The tomato looks really red and delicious.
Example conversation
수빈 and 민준 are at a grocery store.
- 수빈 Su-bin민준 씨, 이 토마토 좀 보세요.Minjun ssi, i tomato jom boseyo.Minjun, look at this tomato.
- 민준 Min-jun와, 정말 싱싱해 보이네요.Wa, jeongmal singsinghae boineyo.Wow, it looks really fresh.
- 수빈 Su-bin그럼 우리 이걸로 살까요?Geureom uri igeollo salkkayo?Then shall we buy this one?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 좋아요. 제가 담을게요.Ne, joayo. Jega dameulgeyo.Yes, sounds good. I'll put it in the basket.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tomato” translations and entries 토마토, 일년감, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 일년감, 토마토, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
