Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 단어 | daneo | [ta̠nʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 말 | mal | [ma̠(ː)ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ma̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 낱말 | nanmal | [ˈna̠(ː)nma̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 마디 | madi | [ma̠di] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Korean uses different terms for "word" depending on whether you are referring to a technical linguistic unit, a spoken utterance or a native Korean term.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these forms depends on your specific meaning: 단어 is the most common term in linguistic or academic contexts and is the word typically used by language learners to refer to vocabulary items they are memorizing. 말 refers more broadly to spoken words, speech or the language itself, rather than just a single lexical unit. 낱말 is a native Korean synonym for 단어 and is often used in primary education or more descriptive contexts. 마디 is also a form of word.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When discussing the words of a highly respected person or referring to religious scripture, use the honorific form 말씀. For the verb "to say", use 말해요 for polite situations and 말해 for casual situations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In colloquial speech, the form 말 is often used in phrases like 그 말 (that word/that thing you said) to refer to the content of what was spoken rather than a specific dictionary entry.
How do you pronounce it?
daneo
When do people say it?
When asking how to say something in Korean, you can use the formal phrase 한국어로 ____ 어떻게 말해요? or the informal version 한국어로 ____ 어떻게 말해? In formal settings, it is polite to address people using titles such as 선생님 (Teacher), 사장님 (Boss) or the suffix 님 after a name.
Did you know?
- The word for 'word' or 'speech', 말, is a homonym with the Korean word for 'horse'.
- The term 말 for 'speech' is an ancient word that shares a distant ancestral root with the word for 'horse' in languages as far apart as Japanese, Mongolian and even Proto-Indo-European.
- The native Korean word for word, 낱말, is actually a combination of the word 낱, meaning 'unit' or 'piece', and 말, meaning 'speech'.
Examples in context
- 그 말은 무슨 뜻이야?What does that word mean?This sentence uses 말 to ask about the meaning of a spoken word.Tatoeba #11106545 by intertime, translation #57962 by CK
- 이 단어는 세 음절이다.This word has three syllables.This sentence uses 단어 to describe the syllable count of a word.Tatoeba #11107460 by intertime, translation #3504508 by nava
- 이건 프랑스어 단어가 아니야.This isn't a French word.This sentence uses 단어 to identify a word from a specific language.Tatoeba #8417363 by Eunhee, translation #8410835 by CK
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, Seo-yeon is helping Ji-hoon study for an English exam.
- 서연 Seo-yeon이 단어의 뜻을 알아?i daneoui tteuseul ara?Do you know the meaning of this word?
- 지훈 Ji-hun아니, 너무 어려워.ani, neomu eoryeowo.No, it is too difficult.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그럼 이 단어부터 외우자.geureom i daneobuteo oeuja.Then let's memorize this word first.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그래, 고마워 서연아.geurae, gomawo seoyeon-a.Okay, thanks Seo-yeon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “word” translations and entries 단어, 말, 낱말, 마디, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 낱말, 말, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
