Korean word

식물

Pronunciation

Romanizationsingmul

Meaning

  • nounplant

Example

마트에서 식물을 샀어요.ma teu e seo sing mu reul sa sseo yo

I bought a plant at the supermarket.

Illustration for 식물 (plant)

More examples

창가에 식물이 많아요.chang ga e sing mu ri ma na yo

There are many plants by the window.

Core concept

A rooted living organism that makes its own energy from light and grows with leaves, stems, and roots.

Common phrases

  • 실내 식물sil lae sing mul

    indoor plant

  • 화분에 있는 식물hwa bu ne in neun sing mul

    plant in a pot

  • 식물 가꾸기sing mul ka kku gi

    plant care

Similar words

나무namu: A large rooted plant with a trunk and branches that can grow for many years.
꽃kkot: The colorful or scented part of a plant that helps it make seeds and is often given as a gift.
채소chaeso: An edible plant or edible part of a plant used as food.
화초hwacho: A small ornamental plant grown for its flowers or leaves in a pot or garden.

Definition in Korean

광합성으로 에너지를 만들어 자라는 잎과 줄기·뿌리를 가진 생물체.kwang hap sseong eu ro e neo ji reul man deu reo cha ra neun ip kkwa chul gi ppu ri reul ka jin saeng mul che

Word origin

This Sino-Korean noun combines the elements meaning plant and thing, a transparent formation that names a plant as a living thing.

Usage tips

  • English plant can also mean a factory, but this Korean noun is used for the living-world sense, so industrial contexts need a different word.

Opposites

Related words

  • 식물원singmurwonbotanical gardennoun
  • 식물성singmulseongplant-basedadjective
  • 식물도감singmuldogamplant encyclopedianoun

Word lists with this word