거북
geobuk[kʌ̹buk̚]
The English word "turtle" is translated into Korean as 거북 (geobuk). Wiktionary also lists 바다거북 (badageobuk).
Meaning: land or marine reptile with a shell (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 거북 | geobuk | [kʌ̹buk̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 바다거북 | badageobuk | [pa̠da̠ɡʌ̹buk̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both 거북 and 거북이 can be used to refer to a turtle, which is a land or marine reptile with a shell.
Which one should you use?
While 거북 refers to a turtle in general, 바다거북 specifically refers to a sea turtle.
How do you pronounce it?
geobuk
Did you know?
- The word 거북 can also be used as a root in the expression 거북하다, which describes a feeling of physical or psychological discomfort.
- Ancient Koreans used a practice called 귀갑점 to predict the future by heating a turtle shell until it cracked.
- In traditional Korean stories, the turtle is frequently portrayed as a cunning and clever character rather than just a slow animal.
Examples in context
- 제가 동물원에서 아름다운 거북이를 봤어요.I saw a beautiful turtle at the zoo.
- 거북이 정말 느려요.geobug-i jeongmal neuryeoyo.The turtle is really slow.
- 작은 거북을 구경했어요.jageun geobug-eul gugyeong-haesseoyo.I watched a small turtle.
- 거북이 등껍질은 딱딱해요.geobug-i deunggkeopjil-eun ttakttakhaeyo.The turtle's shell is hard.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Jieun are at the aquarium.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저기 거북이 좀 봐!Jeogi geobug-i jom bwa!Look at that turtle over there!
- 지은 Ji-eun우와, 진짜 크다.Uwa, jinjja keuda.Wow, it's really big.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수영을 아주 잘해.Supyeong-eul aju jalhae.It swims very well.
- 지은 Ji-eun귀여운 거북이네!Gwiyeoun geobug-ine!It's a cute turtle!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turtle” translations and entries 거북, 바다거북, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
