물
mul[muɭ]
The Korean word for water is 물 (mul).
The word 물 is used for all forms of water, including drinking water, tap water and natural bodies of water like rivers or lakes.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 물 refers to water in general, the specific term 생수 is used when referring to commercially bottled mineral or purified water.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When water is the direct object of a verb, such as in the phrase 'to drink water', you add the object marker 를 to form 물을. To express that something is 'in' or 'into' water, add the particle 에 to form 물에.
How do you pronounce it?
mul
Did you know?
- Beyond its meaning as a liquid, 물 is used in Korean to describe the 'quality' or 'vibe' of a person or a place.
- In the modern Hangul script, the word is written as 물, but in Middle Korean, it was written as 믈.
Examples in context
- 물 좀 주세요, 제발.Some water, please.This sentence is useful for requesting 물.Tatoeba #6305441 by Queserasera, translation #270848 by CK
- 설탕은 물에 잘 녹아.Sugar is soluble in water.This sentence is useful for describing how something dissolves in 물.Tatoeba #8364913 by Eunhee, translation #2225415 by gone2bacolod
- 끓일 물을 가져다 줘.Bring the water to a boil.Tatoeba #11105190 by intertime, translation #240224 by adjusting
- 저는 물을 좀 마시고 싶습니다.I would like to drink some water.
- 생수 한 병 주세요.Please give me a bottle of water.
- 물 좀 마실래?Want to drink some water?
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Do-hyun are at home after a workout.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨, 물 마실래요?Do-hyeon ssi, mul masillaeyo?Do-hyeon, do you want to drink some water?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 저도 물 한 잔 주세요.Ne, jeodo mul han jan juseyo.Yes, please give me a glass of water too.
- 지은 Ji-eun여기 있어요. 시원한 물이에요.Yeogi isseoyo. Siwonhan murieyo.Here it is. It is cold water.
- 도현 Do-hyeon고마워요, 지은 씨.Gomawoyo, Ji-eun ssi.Thank you, Ji-eun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries 물, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 물, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
