보물
bomul[ˈpo̞(ː)muɭ]
The English word 'treasure' (a collection of valuable things) is 보물 (bomul) in Korean. Wiktionary also lists 보배 (bobae).
Meaning: collection of valuable things (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 보물 | bomul | [ˈpo̞(ː)muɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 보배 | bobae | [ˈpo̞(ː)bɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈpo̞(ː)be̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
보물 is typically used to refer to physical, material treasures such as gold, jewels or artifacts. You can use it in the compound word 보물찾기 to mean a 'treasure hunt', which is a common activity during Korean schools and events. To indicate ownership, you can add possessive particles like 나의, 당신의 or 우리의 before 보물.
Which one should you use?
While 보물 refers to physical or material treasures, 보배 is more frequently used in a metaphorical sense to describe a person or a quality that is extremely precious or a 'treasure' to society.
How do you pronounce it?
bomul
Did you know?
- In traditional Korean Buddhist contexts, 보배 can refer to the 'Three Jewels', which are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
- The word 보배 appears in the 용비어천가, a song written in 1447 to praise the founder of the Joseon Dynasty and one of the earliest works written in the Korean alphabet.
- While 보물 refers to treasures in general, the South Korean government uses the term 국보 for 'National Treasures' to designate items of the highest cultural importance.
Examples in context
- 보물이 어디 묻혀 있는지는 아직도 미스터리다.Where the treasure is hidden is still a mystery.This sentence is useful for talking about the location of the 보물.Tatoeba #11110654 by intertime, translation #320981 by CM
- 당신의 웃음은 제게 금빛 보물 같습니다.Your laughter is a golden treasure to me.
- 그 상자 안에는 옛날 보물이 가득했다.geu sangja aneneun yennal bomuri gadeukhaetda.The box was full of old treasure.
- 해적들은 섬에서 숨겨진 보물을 찾고 있다.haejicheodeureun seomeseo sumgyeojin bomureul chatgo itda.The pirates are looking for hidden treasure on the island.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun are looking at a box of old toys.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 이 상자 안에 뭐가 들었어요?Min-jun ssi, i sangja ane mwo-ga deureosseoyo?Min-jun, what is inside this box?
- 민준 Min-jun제 어린 시절의 보물들이 들어 있어요.je eorin sijeol-ui bomuldeuri deureo isseoyo.It contains treasures from my childhood.
- 지은 Ji-eun와, 정말 소중한 보물이네요!wa, jeongmal sojunghan bomul-ineyo!Wow, these are really precious treasures!
- 민준 Min-jun그렇죠? 저에게는 아주 특별해요.geureochyo? jeoege-neun aju teukbyeol-haeyo.Right? They are very special to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “treasure” translations and entries 보물, 보배, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 보물, 보배, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
