Korean word

고래

Pronunciation

Romanizationkorae

Meaning

  • nounwhale

Example

바다에서 고래를 봤어요.pa da e seo ko rae reul pwa sseo yo

I saw a whale in the sea.

Illustration for 고래 (whale)

More examples

밤에 바다에서 고래 소리를 들었어요.pa me pa da e seo ko rae so ri reul teu reo sseo yo

I heard a whale call in the sea at night.

Core concept

A giant ocean-dwelling mammal that rises through the water to breathe.

Common phrases

  • 고래를 보다ko rae reul po da

    see a whale

  • 고래 사진ko rae sa jin

    photo of a whale

  • 고래 소리ko rae so ri

    whale call

Similar words

돌고래tolgorae: A small sea mammal that swims quickly and is often comfortable near people.
상어sangeo: A sea fish with sharp teeth that catches other animals for food.

Definition in Korean

바다에 사는 몸이 크고 포유류인 동물의 총칭으로, 종에 따라 생김새와 크기가 다르지만 일반적으로 큰 몸으로 물속을 헤엄친다.pa da e sa neun mo mi keu go po yu ryu in tong mu rui chong ching eu ro chong e tta ra saeng gim sae wa keu gi ga ta reu ji man il ban jeo geu ro keun mo meu ro mul so geul he eom chin da

Word origin

고래 (gorae, "whale") has been used in Korean for a long time, but its deeper origin is uncertain, so the whole word is learned as one unit.

Usage tips

  • When a Korean sentence gives no number, 고래 (gorae, "whale") can refer to one whale or more than one, with context supplying the difference.

Related words

  • 혹등고래hoktteunggoraehumpback whalenoun
  • 고래상어koraesangeowhale sharknoun

Word lists with this word