Appendix:Korean Swadesh list

See also: Appendix:Middle Korean Swadesh list

This is a Swadesh list of words in Korean, compared with definitions in English. Only Standard Seoul Korean, the official dialect of both North and South Koreas, is taken into account.

Presentation

For further information, including the full final version of the list, read the Wikipedia article: Swadesh list.

American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.

List

No.	English	Korean 한국어 (Hangugeo)	IPA	Transcription (Revised Romanization)
1	I	나, 저	na, t͡ɕʌ	na, jeo (humble)
2	you (singular)	너, 니	nʌ, ni	neo, ni
3	he	그, 걔	kɯ, kjɛ	geu (literary), gyae (colloquial)
4	we	우리, 저희	uɾi, t͡ɕʌʝi	uri, jeohui (humble)
5	you (plural)	너희, 너희들	nʌʝi, nʌʝidɯɭ	neohui, neohuideul
6	they	그들, 걔네	kɯdɯɭ, kjɛne	geudeul (literary), gyaene (colloquial)
7	this	이	i	i
8	that	그, 저	kɯ, t͡ɕʌ	geu (medial), jeo (distal)
9	here	여기	jʌgi	yeogi
10	there	거기, 저기	kʌgi, t͡ɕʌɡi	geogi (medial), jeogi (distal)
11	who	누구, 누가	nugu, nuga	nugu, nuga (nominative)
12	what	무엇, 무슨	muʌt̚, musʰɯn	mueot (pronoun), museun (adnominal)
13	where	어디	ʌdi	eodi
14	when	언제	ɘːɲd͡ʑe	eonje
15	how	어떻게	ʌt͈ʌkʰe	eotteoke
16	not	안	an	an
17	all	모든, 모두	modɯn, modu	modeun (adnominal), modu (adverbial)
18	many	많은	maːnɯn	maneun
19	some	어떤	ʌt͈ʌn	eotteon
20	few	조금	t͡ɕogɯm	jogeum
21	other	다른	taɾɯn	dareun
22	one	하나, 한	hana, han	hana (noun), han (adnominal)
23	two	둘, 두	tuːɭ, tuː	dul (noun), du (adnominal)
24	three	셋, 세	sʰeːt̚, sʰeː	set (noun), se (adnominal)
25	four	넷, 네	neːt̚, neː	net (noun), ne (adnominal)
26	five	다섯	tasʰʌt̚	daseot
27	big	크다	kʰɯda	keuda
28	long	길다	kiːɭdɑ	gilda
29	wide	넓다	nʌɭt͈a	neolda
30	thick	두껍다	tuk͈ʌp̚t͈a	dukkeopda
31	heavy	무겁다	muɡʌp̚t͈a	mugeopda
32	small	작다	t͡ɕaːk̚t͈a	jakda
33	short	짧다	t͡ɕ͈aɭt͈a	jjalda
34	narrow	좁다	t͡ɕop̚t͈a	jopda
35	thin	얇다	jaːɭt͈a	yalda
36	woman	계집, 여자	kjeːd͡ʑip̚, jʌd͡ʑa	gyejip (obsolete; derogatory), yeoja (usual)
37	man (adult male)	사나이, 남자	sʰanai, namd͡ʑa	sanai (archaic), namja (usual)
38	man (human being)	사람	sʰaːɾam	saram
39	child	아이, 애, 어린이	ai, ɛː, ʌɾini	ai, ae, eorini (formal)
40	wife	아내, 마누라	anɛ, maːnuɾa	anae, manura
41	husband	지아비, 남편	t͡ɕiabi, nampʰjʌn	jiabi (archaic), nampyeon (usual)
42	mother	어머니, 엄마	ʌmʌni, ʌmma	eomeoni, eomma (informal)
43	father	아버지, 아빠	abʌd͡ʑi, ap͈a	abeoji, appa (informal)
44	animal	짐승, 동물	t͡ɕimsʰɯŋ, toːŋmuɭ	jimseung (dated), dongmul (usual)
45	fish	물고기	muɭk͈oɡi	mulgogi
46	bird	새	sʰɛː	sae
47	dog	개	kɛː	gae
48	louse	이	i	i
49	snake	뱀	pɛːm	baem
50	worm	벌레	pʌɭɭe	beolle
51	tree	나무	namu	namu
52	forest	숲	sʰup̚	sup
53	stick	막대기	mak̚t͈ɛɡi	makdaegi
54	fruit	열매	jʌɭmɛ	yeolmae
55	seed	씨	ɕ͈i	ssi
56	leaf	잎	ip̚	ip
57	root	뿌리	p͈uɾi	ppuri
58	bark (of a tree)	나무껍질	namuk͈ʌp̚t͡ɕ͈iɭ	namukkeopjil
59	flower	꽃	k͈ot̚	kkot
60	grass	풀	pʰuɭ	pul ('herbaceous plant')
61	rope	밧줄	pat̚t͡ɕ͈uɭ	batjul
62	skin	살갗, 피부	sʰaɭk͈at̚, pʰibu	salgat, pibu
63	meat	고기	koɡi	gogi
64	blood	피	pʰi	pi
65	bone	뼈	p͈jʌ	ppyeo
66	fat (noun)	기름	kiɾɯm	gireum
67	egg	알	aɭ	al
68	horn	뿔	p͈uɭ	ppul
69	tail	꼬리	k͈oɾi	kkori
70	feather	깃털	kit̚tʰʌ̹ɭ	git'teol
71	hair	털	tʰʌɭ	teol
72	head	머리, 대가리	mʌɾi, tɛɡaɾi	meori, daegari (of animals)
73	ear	귀	kɥi	gwi
74	eye	눈	nun	nun
75	nose	코	kʰo	ko
76	mouth	입, 주둥이	ip̚, t͡ɕuduŋi	ip, judungi (as of animals)
77	tooth	이, 이빨	i, ip͈a̠ɭ	i, ippal (as of animals)
78	tongue (organ)	혀	çʌ	hyeo
79	fingernail	손톱	sʰontʰop̚	sontop
80	foot	발	pa̠ɭ	bal
81	leg	다리	ta̠ɾi	dari
82	knee	무릎	muɾɯp̚	mureup
83	hand	손	sʰo̞n	son
84	wing	날개	na̠ɭɡɛ	nalgae
85	belly	배	pɛ	bae
86	guts	창자, 배알, 애	t͡ɕʰaŋd͡ʑa, pɛa̠ɭ, ɛː	changja(usual), paeal (vulgar), ae (dated, except in metaphoric use regarding emotional state)
87	neck	목	mo̞k̚	mok
88	back	등	tɯŋ	deung
89	breast	가슴	ka̠sʰɯm	gaseum
90	heart	염통, 심장	jʌ̹mtʰo̞ŋ, ɕʰimd͡ʑa̠ŋ	yeomtong(dated), simjang(usual)
91	liver	간	kaːn	gan
92	to drink	먹다, 마시다	mʌ̹k̚t͈a̠, ma̠ɕʰida̠	meokda, masida
93	to eat	먹다	mʌ̹k̚t͈a̠	meokda
94	to bite	물다	muɭda̠	mulda
95	to suck	빨다	p͈a̠ɭda̠	ppalda
96	to spit	뱉다	pɛːt̚t͈a̠	baetda
97	to vomit	게우다, 토하다	ke̞uda̠, tʰo̞ːɦa̠da̠	ge'uda (dated), tohada (usual)
98	to blow	불다	puːɭda̠	bulda
99	to breathe	쉬다	ʃʰɥiːda̠	swida
100	to laugh	웃다	uːt̚t͈a̠	utda
101	to see	보다	poda	boda
102	to hear	듣다	tɯt̚t͈a̠	deutda
103	to know	알다	aːɭda	alda
104	to think	헤아리다, 생각하다	he̞ːa̠ɾida̠, sʰɛŋɡa̠kʰa̠da̠	hearida, saenggakhada (usual)
105	to smell	맡다	ma̠t̚t͈a̠	matda
106	to fear	두렵다, 무섭다	tuɾjʌ̹p̚t͈a̠, musʰʌ̹p̚t͈a̠	duryeopda, museopda
107	to sleep	자다	t͡ɕada	jada
108	to live	살다	sʰaːɭda	salda
109	to die	죽다	t͡ɕuk̚t͈a̠	jukda
110	to kill	죽이다	t͡ɕuɡida̠	jugida
111	to fight	다투다, 싸우다	ta̠tʰuda̠, s͈a̠uda̠	datuda, ssauda
112	hunt (noun)	사냥	sʰa̠ɲa̠ŋ	sanyang
113	to hit	치다, 때리다	t͡ɕʰida̠, t͈ɛɾida̠	chida, ttaerida
114	to cut	베다, 자르다	pe̞ːda̠, t͡ɕa̠ɾɯda̠	beda, jareuda
115	to split	가르다, 갈라지다	ka̠ɾɯda̠, ka̠ɭɭa̠d͡ʑida̠	gareuda (transitive), gallajida (intransitive)
116	to stab	찌르다	t͡ɕ͈iɾɯda̠	jjireuda
117	to scratch	긁다	kɯk̚t͈a̠	geukda
118	to dig	파다	pʰa̠da̠	pada
119	to swim	헤엄치다	he̞ʌ̹mt͡ɕʰida̠	heeomchida
120	to fly	날다	na̠ɭda̠	nalda
121	to walk	걷다	kɘːt̚t͈a̠	geotda
122	to come	오다	o̞da̠	oda
123	to lie (as in a bed)	눕다	nuːp̚t͈a̠	nupda
124	to sit	앉다	a̠nt͈a̠	anda
125	to stand	서다	sʰʌ̹da̠	seoda
126	to turn (intransitive)	돌다	to̞ːɭda̠	dolda
127	to fall	떨어지다	t͈ʌ̹ɾʌ̹d͡ʑida̠	tteoreojida
128	to give	주다	t͡ɕuda̠	juda
129	to hold	잡다	t͡ɕa̠p̚t͈a̠	japda
130	to squeeze	짜다	t͡ɕ͈a̠da̠	jjada
131	to rub	문지르다, 비비다	mund͡ʑiɾɯda̠, pibida̠	munjireuda, bibida
132	to wash	씻다	ɕ͈it̚t͈a̠	ssitda
133	to wipe	닦다	ta̠k̚t͈a̠	dakda
134	to pull	끌다, 당기다	k͈ɯ̽ːɭdɑ, ta̠ŋɡida̠	kkeulda, danggida
135	to push	밀다	miːɭdɑ	milda
136	to throw	던지다	tʌ̹nd͡ʑida̠	deonjida
137	to tie	매다	mεːdɑ	maeda
138	to sew	깁다	kiːp̚t͈a̠	gipda
139	to count	세다	sʰeːdɑ	seda
140	to say	말하다	ma̠ːɾɦa̠da̠	malhada
141	to sing	부르다, 노래하다	puɾɯda̠, no̞ɾɛɦa̠da̠	bureuda, noraehada
142	to play	놀다	no̞ːɭda̠	nolda
143	to float	뜨다	t͈ɯda̠	tteuda
144	to flow	흐르다	xɯɾɯda̠	heureuda
145	to freeze	얼다	ɘːldɑ	eolda
146	to swell	붓다, 부풀다	puːt̚t͈a̠, pupʰuɭda̠	butda, bupulda
147	sun	해	hε	hae
148	moon	달	tal	dal
149	star	별	pjɘːɭ	byeol
150	water	물	muɭ	mul
151	rain	비	pi	bi
152	river	강	kaŋ	gang
153	lake	호수	ɸʷo̞sʰu	hosu
154	sea	바다	pa̠da̠	bada
155	salt	소금	sʰo̞ɡɯm	sogeum
156	stone	돌, 바위	to̞ːɭ, pa̠ɥi	dol (stone), bawi(rock)
157	sand	모래	mo̞ɾɛ	morae
158	dust	먼지	mʌ̹nd͡ʑi	meonji
159	earth (soil)	흙	xɯk̚	heuk
160	cloud	구름	kuɾɯm	gureum
161	fog	안개	a̠ːnɡɛ	an'gae
162	sky	하늘	ha̠nɯɭ	haneul
163	wind	바람	pa̠ɾa̠m	baram
164	snow	눈	nuːn	nun
165	ice	얼음	ʌ̹ɾɯm	eoreum
166	smoke	연기	jʌ̹nɡi	yeon'gi
167	fire	불	puɭ	bul
168	ash	재	t͡ɕɛ	jae
169	to burn	타다	tʰada	tada
170	road	길	kiɭ	gil
171	mountain	산	sʰa̠n	san
172	red	붉다, 빨갛다	puk̚t͈a̠, p͈a̠ːɭɡa̠tʰa̠	bukda, ppalgata
173	green	푸르다, 초록	pʰuɾɯda̠, t͡ɕʰo̞ɾo̞k̚	pureuda, chorok
174	yellow	누르다, 노랗다	nuɾɯda̠, no̞ːɾa̠tʰa̠	nureuda, norata
175	white	희다, 하얗다	çida̠, ha̠ːja̠tʰa̠	huida, hayata
176	black	검다, 까맣다	kɘːmt͈a̠, k͈a̠ːma̠tʰa̠	geomda, kkamata
177	night	밤	pa̠m	bam
178	day	낮	na̠t̚	nat
179	year	해, 년	hɛ, ɲʌ̹n	hae, nyeon
180	warm	덥다, 따뜻하다	tɘːp̚t͈a̠, t͈a̠t͈ɯtʰa̠da̠	deopda, ttatteuthada
181	cold	춥다, 차다	t͡ɕʰup̚t͈a̠, t͡ɕʰa̠da̠	chupda (of the weather), chada (of a tangible object)
182	full	차다, 가득	t͡ɕʰa̠da̠, ka̠dɯk̚	chada, gadeuk (adverbial)
183	new	새, 새롭다	sʰɛ, sʰɛɾo̞p̚t͈a̠	sae, saeropda
184	old	옛, 오래되다	je̞ːt̚, o̞ɾɛdwe̞da̠	yet, oraedoeda
185	good	좋다	t͡ɕo̞ːtʰa̠	jota
186	bad	나쁘다	na̠p͈ɯda̠	nappeuda
187	rotten	썩다	s͈ʌ̹k̚t͈a̠	sseokda
188	dirty	더럽다	tɘːɾʌ̹p̚t͈a̠	dereopda
189	straight	곧다	ko̞t̚t͈a̠	gotda
190	round	둥글다	tuŋɡɯɭda̠	dunggeulda
191	sharp (as a knife)	날카롭다, 뾰족하다	na̠ɭkʰa̠ɾo̞p̚t͈a̠, p͈jod͡ʑo̞kʰa̠da̠	nalkaropda (sharp), ppyojokhada (pointed)
192	dull (as a knife)	무디다	mudida̠	mudida
193	smooth	부드럽다	pudɯɾʌ̹p̚t͈a̠	budeureopda
194	wet	젖다	t͡ɕʌ̹t̚t͈a̠	jeotda
195	dry	마르다	ma̠ɾɯda̠	mareuda
196	correct	맞다	ma̠t̚t͈a̠	matda
197	near	가깝다	ka̠k͈a̠p̚t͈a̠	gakkapda
198	far	멀다	mɘːɭda̠	meolda
199	right	오른(쪽)	o̞ɾɯn(-t͡ɕ͈o̞k̚)	oreun(-jjok)
200	left	왼(쪽)	we̞ːn(-t͡ɕ͈o̞k̚)	oen(-jjok)
201	at	에서	-e̞sʰʌ̹	-eseo
202	in	에, 안에	-e̞, a̠ne̞	-e, ane
203	with	로, 으로	-(ɯ)ɾo̞	-(eu)ro (instrumental)
204	and	와, 과, -랑, -이랑, -고	-(k͈)wa̠, -(i)ɾa̠ŋ, -go̞	-(g)wa, -(i)rang (nouns), -go (verbs)
205	if	-면	-mjʌ̹n	-myeon
206	because	-니, 때문에	-ni, t͈ɛmune̞	-ni, ttaemune
207	name	이름	iɾɯm	ireum
208	house	집	t͡ɕip̚	jip
209	wall	담, 벽	ta̠m, pjʌ̹k̚	dam, byeok
210	deer	사슴	sʰa̠sʰɯm	saseum
211	mouse	쥐	t͡ɕy	jwi
212	rabbit	토끼	tʰo̞k͈i	tokki
213	eagle	수리	sʰuɾi	suri
214	spider	거미	kʌ̹mi	geomi
215	face	얼굴	ʌ̹ɭɡuɭ	eolgul
216	body	몸	mo̞m	mom
217	navel	배꼽	pɛk͈o̞p̚	baekkop
218	finger	손가락	sʰo̞nk͈a̠ɾa̠k̚	son'garak
219	sick (painful)	아프다	a̠pʰɯda̠	apeuda
220	needle	바늘	pa̠nɯɭ	baneul
221	clothing	옷	o̞t̚	ot
222	thunder	천둥	t͡ɕʰʌ̹nduŋ	cheondung
223	lightning	번개	pʌ̹nɡɛ	beon'gae
224	above	위	y	wi
225	below	아래	a̠ɾɛ	arae
226	to cough	깇다, 기침하다	kit̚t͈a̠, kit͡ɕʰimɦa̠da̠	gitda (North Korean), gichimhada
227	to buy	사다	sʰa̠da̠	sada
228	to choose	고르다	ko̞ɾɯda̠	goreuda
229	to grow	자라다	t͡ɕa̠ɾa̠da̠	jarada
230	to open	열다	jɘːɭda̠	yeolda
231	to steal	훔치다	ɸʷumt͡ɕʰida̠	humchida
232	to dream	꾸다	k͈uda̠	kkuda
233	to cry	울다	uːɭda̠	ulda
234	to yawn	하품하다	ha̠pʰumɦa̠da̠	hapumhada
235	to cook	요리하다, 굽다	joɾiɦa̠da̠, kuːp̚t͈a̠	yorihada, gupda (to bake)
236	six	여섯	jʌ̹sʰʌ̹t̚	yeoseot
237	seven	일곱	iɭɡo̞p̚	ilgop
238	eight	여덟	jʌ̹dʌ̹ɭ	yeodeol
239	nine	아홉	aβop̚	ahop
240	ten	열	jʌ̹ɭ	yeol

External links

• Korean language topical vocabulary
• Online Korean dictionary
• Dictionary from zKorean