Korean word

금기

Pronunciation

Romanizationkeumgi

Meaning

  • nountaboo

Example

그 이야기는 금기야.keu i ya gi neun keum gi ya

That story is taboo.

Illustration for 금기 (taboo)

More examples

이 사회에는 여전히 금기 사항이 많다.i sa hoe e neun yeo jeon hi keum gi sa hang i man ta

This society still has many taboos.

Core concept

A shared social limit that makes a topic or behavior feel unacceptable to approach.

Common phrases

  • 금기 사항keum gi sa hang

    taboo issue

  • 금기 음식keum gi eum sik

    taboo food

Similar words

금지keumji: A formal rule that stops people from carrying out a certain action.
금물keummul: A thing or action that a notice clearly says is forbidden.

Definition in Korean

사회나 집단에서 말하거나 행하는 것이 옳지 않다고 여겨서 피하는 주제나 행동을 가리키는 명사.sa hoe na chip tta ne seo mal ha geo na haeng ha neun keo si ol chi an ta go yeo gyeo seo pi ha neun chu je na haeng dong eul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

The word comes from Sino-Korean elements for prohibition and avoidance, linking its form to something treated as socially off limits.

Usage tips

  • The word often points to a culture-based boundary rather than simple personal dislike, so it is useful when explaining why a whole group avoids something.

Other meanings

  • contraindicationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 금기어keumgieotaboo wordnoun
  • 금기적keumgijeoktaboo-relatedadjective
  • 금기시하다keumgisihadatreat as tabooverb

Word lists with this word