관광객
gwan'gwanggaek[kwa̠nɡwa̠ŋɡɛk̚]
The English word "tourist" is translated into Korean as 관광객 (gwan'gwanggaek). Wiktionary also lists 려행자 (ryeohaengja).
Meaning: someone who travels for pleasure (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 관광객 | gwan'gwanggaek | [kwa̠nɡwa̠ŋɡɛk̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [kwa̠nɡwa̠ŋɡe̞k̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 려행자 | ryeohaengja | North Korea |
The term is used to describe someone who travels specifically for pleasure or sightseeing.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 관광객 is composed of 관광, meaning sightseeing or tourism and 객, meaning guest or visitor.
Which one should you use?
While 관광객 specifically refers to a tourist who is sightseeing, the term 여행자 is a broader term used for a traveler.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Korea, the term 려행자 is used for traveler or tourist.
How do you pronounce it?
gwan'gwanggaek
Did you know?
- The term 관광객 is an orthographic borrowing from the Japanese word 観光客. This means the Korean word was adapted from the Japanese writing system and structure.
- A person who travels for food specifically might be called a 식도락가, a term that blends 'eating' and 'pleasure' rather than using the general word for tourist.
- The character 객 in 관광객 means 'guest', treating every tourist as an honored guest of the city or country.
Example sentences for Korean are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are visiting a crowded palace.
- 민지 Min-ji사람이 너무 많네요.sarami neomu mannneyo.There are so many people.
- 민준 Min-jun관광객이 많이 왔나 봐요.gwangwanggeogi mani wannna bwayo.I guess a lot of tourists have come.
- 민지 Min-ji사진 찍기가 힘들겠어요.sajin jikkiga himdeulgesseoyo.It will be hard to take photos.
- 민준 Min-jun천천히 구경해요, 민지 씨.cheoncheonhi gugyeonghaeyo, Minji ssi.Let's look around slowly, Minji.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tourist” translations and entries 관광객, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 관광객, CC BY-SA 4.0.
