Korean word

뱀

Pronunciation

Romanizationpaem

Meaning

  • nounsnake

Example

저기 뱀이 있어!cheo gi pae mi i sseo

There's a snake over there!

Illustration for 뱀 (snake)

More examples

산에서 뱀에게 물렸어요.sa ne seo pae me ge mul lyeo sseo yo

I was bitten by a snake in the mountains.

Core concept

A narrow-bodied reptile that travels by crawling along the ground and may suggest hidden danger.

Common phrases

  • 뱀을 잡다pae meul chap tta

    catch a snake

  • 뱀에게 물리다pae me ge mul li da

    be bitten by a snake

  • 뱀이 나오다pae mi na o da

    a snake appears

Similar words

독사tokssa: A dangerous snake that can inject venom through its bite.
구렁이kureongi: A large snake often found around farmland or in the mountains.

Definition in Korean

땅에서 길게 기어 다니는 비늘 붙은 파충류를 가리키는 말로, 비유적으로 교활함이나 위험성을 나타낼 때도 쓰이는 명사ttang e seo kil ge ki eo ta ni neun pi neul pu teun pa chung nyu reul ka ri ki neun mal lo pi yu jeo geu ro kyo hwal ha mi na wi heom seong eul na ta nael ttae do sseu i neun myeong sa

Word origin

The word has been used in Korean since early times as an inherited native term, while its exact older history is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • When the word describes a person instead of an animal, it can make the person seem untrustworthy or dangerous, so the expression can offend.

Related words

  • 뱀장어paemjangeoeelnoun
  • 뱀띠paemttiyear of the Snakenoun

Word lists with this word