Korean word

왕

Pronunciation

Romanizationwang

Meaning

  • nounking

Example

그 나라는 왕이 다스린다.keu na ra neun wang i ta seu rin da

That country is ruled by a king.

Illustration for 왕 (king)

More examples

그는 언젠가 왕이 되고 싶어 한다.keu neun eon jen ga wang i toe go si peo han da

He wants to become a king someday.

Core concept

A monarch with authority over a country.

Common phrases

  • 왕이 되다wang i toe da

    become king

  • 왕실wang sil

    royal family

  • 왕좌wang jwa

    throne

Similar words

국왕kugwang: The formal term for a country's monarch as its head of state.
임금imgeum: A historical and literary name for a country's ruler.

Definition in Korean

한 나라를 지배하는 군주를 뜻하며, 구어에서는 '아주'라는 뜻의 강조어로도 쓰인다.han na ra reul chi bae ha neun kun ju reul tteu ta myeo ku eo e seo neun a ju ra neun tteu sui kang jo eo ro do sseu in da

Word origin

The word comes from the Sino-Korean reading wang of the Chinese character for king, but the history of its colloquial emphasis use is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • The same form can name a ruler or strengthen an expression, so the surrounding words help reveal which meaning is intended.

Opposites

  • 평민pyeongmincommonernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word