바다코끼리
badakokkiri[pa̠da̠kʰo̞k͈iɾi]
The English word walrus is translated into Korean as 바다코끼리 (badakokkiri). Wiktionary also lists 해상 (haesang) and 해마 (haema).
Meaning: large Arctic marine mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 바다코끼리 | badakokkiri | [pa̠da̠kʰo̞k͈iɾi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 해상 | haesang | |
| 해마 | haema | [ˈhɛ(ː)ma̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈhe̞(ː)ma̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to the large Arctic marine mammal.
Which one should you use?
The default form is 바다코끼리. The word 해상 is also present in the list, while 해마 is another term provided in the source.
How do you pronounce it?
badakokkiri
Did you know?
- While 바다코끼리 is the standard word for walrus, the word 해마 actually means 'seahorse' in most contexts.
- The Korean name for walrus, 바다코끼리, literally translates to 'sea elephant'.
- The components of 바다코끼리 are a mix of a native Korean word for sea, 'bada', and the word for elephant.
Examples in context
- 아이들에게 바다코끼리에 대해 말씀해주세요.Please talk to the children about the walrus.
- 바다코끼리는 엄니가 아주 길어요.badakokkirineun eomni-ga aju giryeoyo.The walrus has very long tusks.
- 박물관에서 바다코끼리 모형을 봤어요.bangmulgwaneso badakokkirri mohyeong-eul bwasseoyo.I saw a walrus model at the museum.
- 바다코끼리는 북극에 살아요.badakokkirineun bukgeuk-e sarayo.Walruses live in the Arctic.
Example conversation
Subin and Minjun are looking at a picture book about animals.
- 수빈 Su-bin이 동물은 바다코끼리예요.i dongmureun badakokkiri-yeyo.This animal is a walrus.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 신기하게 생겼네요.jeongmal singihage saenggyeotneyo.It looks really interesting.
- 수빈 Su-bin이빨이 아주 길죠?ippari aju giljyo?The teeth are very long, right?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 정말 길어요.ne, jeongmal gireoyo.Yes, they are really long.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “walrus” translations and entries 바다코끼리, 해마, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
