Korean word

생물

Pronunciation

Romanizationsaengmul

Meaning

  • nouncreature

Example

어제 공원에서 작은 생물을 발견했어.eo je kong wo ne seo cha geun saeng mu reul pal gyeon hae sseo

Yesterday, I found a small creature in the park.

Illustration for 생물 (creature)

More examples

해양 생물을 관찰하는 일이 흥미로웠어.hae yang saeng mu reul kwan chal ha neun i ri heung mi ro wo sseo

It was interesting to observe marine life.

Core concept

A living thing viewed as one distinct entity, from a microscopic life form to a large animal.

Common phrases

  • 해양 생물hae yang saeng mul

    marine life

  • 미생물mi saeng mul

    microorganism

  • 야생 생물ya saeng saeng mul

    wildlife

Similar words

동물tongmul: A living creature that moves on its own and senses and reacts to its surroundings.
식물singmul: A rooted living organism that makes food from light and grows leaves, stems, and roots.
벌레peolle: A small creature, often found indoors and commonly regarded as unpleasant.

Definition in Korean

숨을 쉬거나 성장하고 번식하는 등 생명 현상을 보이는 모든 존재su meul swi geo na seong jang ha go peon si ka neun teung saeng myeong hyeon sang eul po i neun mo deun chon jae

Word origin

The Sino-Korean formation 생물 (saengmul, "living thing") joins 생 (saeng, "life") with 물 (mul, "thing") to mean a thing that lives.

Usage tips

  • The word can cover a very wide range, so a more specific term helps listeners picture exactly what was seen or found.

Other meanings

  • organismnoun

Opposites

  • 무생물musaengmulinanimate objectnoun

Related words

  • 생물학saengmulhakbiologynoun
  • 생물학자saengmulhakjjabiologistnoun
  • 생물다양성saengmuldayangseongbiodiversitynoun

Word lists with this word