adj
Common
Korean
kuh-REE-uhn
Korean (adj) means relating to the Korean Peninsula, its people, or its culture. Example: “They opened a Korean restaurant downtown.”
adj
1
Relating to the Korean Peninsula, its people, or its culture.
"They opened a Korean restaurant downtown."
"Korean cinema has won major awards worldwide."
noun
1
The language spoken on the Korean Peninsula and by Korean communities worldwide.
"She's been studying Korean for two years."
2
A person from Korea or of Korean descent.
"Many Koreans immigrated to the US after the war."
How to use Korean
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes anything to do with Korea, its people, or its language.
Common pairings
Korean food
Korean drama
speak Korean
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Word forms
- Plural
- Koreans
- Comparative
- more Korean
- Superlative
- most Korean
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They opened a _____ restaurant downtown.
Etymology
Formed from "Korea" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-an".
Synonyms
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of Korea
from Korea
Rhymes for Korean
See all rhymes for Korean →Frequently asked questions
What does “Korean” mean?
The word “Korean” means relating to the Korean Peninsula, its people, or its culture. In plain terms, describes anything to do with Korea, its people, or its language.
How do you pronounce “Korean”?
“Korean” is pronounced kuh-REE-uhn (/kəˈɹi.ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “Korean” in a sentence?
Here is “Korean” used in a sentence: “They opened a Korean restaurant downtown.”
What part of speech is “Korean”?
Depending on how it is used, “Korean” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “Korean” a common word?
“Korean” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Korean” have?
“Korean” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the Korean Peninsula, its people, or its culture.
Is Korean a language, a nationality, or an ethnicity?
It can be all three, depending on context. Korean is the language spoken across the Korean Peninsula, a nationality for citizens of North or South Korea, and an ethnic identity shared by Korean people worldwide. As an adjective it simply means relating to Korea, its people, language, or culture.
What is the difference between North Korean and South Korean?
Both describe people and things from the Korean Peninsula, which is divided into two countries. North Korean refers to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and South Korean to the Republic of Korea in the south. They share deep cultural and linguistic roots but have very different governments.
What does it mean to call something Korean?
Describing something as Korean links it to Korea's people, language, land, or traditions. It can mark food like kimchi, the Korean alphabet Hangul, Korean pop music, or a person's heritage. The word works as a broad cultural label rather than pointing to one country alone, covering the whole peninsula.
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