Korean word

옛날이야기

Pronunciation

Romanizationyennariyagi

Meaning

  • nounold story

Example

오늘 밤에 옛날이야기를 들려줄게.o neul pa me yen na ri ya gi reul teul lyeo jul kke

I'll tell you an old story tonight.

Illustration for 옛날이야기 (old story)

More examples

할머니가 저녁에 옛날이야기를 들려주셨어요.hal meo ni ga cheo nyeo ge yen na ri ya gi reul teul lyeo ju syeo sseo yo

My grandmother told me an old story in the evening.

Core concept

A tale rooted in an earlier time, including traditional folk narratives and invented fairy tales.

Common phrases

  • 옛날이야기 들려주다yen na ri ya gi teul lyeo ju da

    tell an old story

  • 옛날이야기 듣다yen na ri ya gi teut tta

    listen to an old story

  • 옛날이야기 읽다yen na ri ya gi ik tta

    read an old story

Similar words

동화tonghwa: A short story made for children that may teach a lesson or use imagination.
전설cheonseol: A wondrous story tied to a particular place or person whose truth is uncertain.
민담mindam: A traditional story passed by word of mouth within a community and shaped by local life and customs.
일화ilhwa: A brief, often amusing account about a particular person or event, presented as true.

Definition in Korean

전승이나 창작으로 전해지는 오래된 이야기나 동화를 이르는 말cheon seung i na chang ja geu ro cheon hae ji neun o rae doen i ya gi na tong hwa reul i reu neun mal

Word origin

옛날이야기 (yennariyagi, "old story") was formed by joining the native words 옛날 (yenna, "old days") and 이야기 (riyagi, "story").

Usage tips

  • In titles and storytelling contexts, this noun can frame a narrative as belonging to a distant past even when it was written recently.

Other meanings

  • fairy talenoun
  • children's storynoun
  • folk storynoun

Opposites

  • 실화silhwatrue storynoun

Related words

Word lists with this word