7 Common Konglish Words and Their Korean Equivalents
Language is bound to change over time as cultures develop and inter-cultural interactions occur. Sometimes the cultures become so intertwined that words are just used as they are, without translating the terms from one language to another.
In Korean such words are called 외래어 (wae-rae-eo), otherwise known as loan words.
However, some of the common Korean loan words we know may not be loan words at all! In fact, many of them have a Korean equivalent, but a Konglish term has since been adopted.
Do you know the Korean equivalent of these seven Konglish words?
카메라 (ka-me-ra)
Yes, there is actually a Korean word for camera, but it's rarely being used these days. It may be taught to children so that they can first learn the Korean term before using the Konglish ones in their daily lives, but no one really calls a camera by its Korean name anymore.
Care to take a shot at what it might be?
The Korean equivalent of 카메라 is 사진기 (sa-jin-gi). 사진 means photo while 기 means machine. A 사진기 is a photo(taking) machine!
핸드폰 (haen-deu-pon)
The handphone, or cell phone, is one of our daily essentials. The Korean term for this life-changing piece of technology is still something that is used today, and is often used interchangeably with its Konglish partner.
Would you like me to hand you the answer?
The Korean equivalent of 핸드폰 is 휴대전화 (hyoo-dae-jeon-hwa). 휴대 means portable while 전화 means phone. A 휴대전화 is a portable phone!
테스트 (te-seu-teu)
Like the handphone, the Korean equivalent for this word is still in use today so you've probably heard it in Korean media.
Let's test your knowledge, shall we?
The Korean equivalent of 테스트 is 시험 (shi-heom). The term 시험 is derived from its Hanja equivalent of 试验 (shì yàn) which means test, exam, or trial.
샤워 (sha-weo)
Not to be confused with 샤월 (sha-wol), the name of SHINee's fans, the Korean equivalent is not really used today. It's still understandable, but almost everyone just calls it a shower.
Water you think is the Korean term?
The Korean equivalent of 샤워 is 목욕 (mok-yok). The term 목욕 is also derived from its Hanja equivalent of 沐浴 (mù yù) which means bath.
Some may argue that taking a shower and taking a bath are two different things but in Asia where bath tubs are not commonplace in households, bathing and showering are often used interchangeably.
프로포즈 (peu-ro-po-jeu)
A marriage proposal is a huge milestone in any couple's life and there are many different types of proposals to choose from.
Do you have any proposals for the Korean term?
The Korean equivalent of 프로포즈 is 청혼 (cheong-hon). The term 청혼, like the above two terms is derived from its Hanja equivalent of 请婚 (qǐng hūn) which translates to "please marry". 청혼 is rarely used these days and you might even get strange looks for using 청혼 instead of 프로포즈.
롤리팝 (lol-li-pop)
A childhood favourite for most of us. I remember always fighting to get the cola-flavoured lollipop because I believed it tasted best. Anyone else agrees? Just like how we may not eat as many lollipops in our adulthood, the Korean term for lollipop is not as commonly used anymore.
Will you do well in a pop quiz on this?
The Korean equivalent of 롤리팝 is 막대사탕 (mak-dae-sa-tang). 막대 means stick while 사탕 means candy. A candy on a stick is the definition of a lollipop!
복싱 (bok-shing)
Boxing is no longer a popular sport in Korea, so that could be the reason why a Konglish version has been adapted over the years — it's mostly attributed to foreigners.
In that case, why not throw a few punches and take a guess?
The Korean equivalent for 복싱 is 권투 (kwon-tu). The term 권투 is derived from its Hanja equivalent of 拳头 (quán tóu) which means fist. Since you punch or box with your fist, it's easy to see why it also means boxing.
Many English words have assimilated into the Korean language and English-speakers may be able to recognise a few words here and there in conversations. On the flip side, are there any Korean words that have become loan words in English?