Korean is packed with vivid onomatopoeia (의성어) and mimetic words (의태어) that bring conversations to life. These aren’t just for comic books – they’re woven into everyday speech, from describing rain sounds to how someone walks. Here’s how they work.
What makes Korean onomatopoeia unique?
Unlike English, Korean often doubles up syllables for emphasis (반복어). The language also distinguishes between sounds (의성어) and movements/expressions (의태어). For example:
- A dog barking: 멍멍 (meong meong)
- Someone tiptoeing: 살금살금 (salgeum salgeum)
Common sound words in daily life
| Korean | IPA | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 철썩철썩 (cheolseok cheolseok) | /tɕʰʌɭs͈ʌk̚ tɕʰʌɭs͈ʌk̚/ | Sound of waves crashing |
| 똑똑 (ttok ttok) | /t͈ok̚ t͈ok̚/ | Knocking sound |
| 콜록콜록 (kollok kollok) | /kʰoɭɭok̚ kʰoɭɭok̚/ | Coughing repeatedly |
Mimetic words for actions
두근두근
[tuɡɯnduɡɯn]“Thump thump”
꿀꿀
[k͈uɭk͈uɭ]“Oink oink”
Why this matters for learners
These words aren’t just decorative. They’re essential for understanding casual speech, Korean dramas, and even text messages. Compare these to Japanese sound symbolism – both languages use them heavily, but with different phonetic patterns.
- Adds emotional nuance (e.g., 아장아장 (ajang ajang) for a cute toddling walk)
- Makes descriptions more vivid (주룩주룩 (juruk juruk) for heavy rain)
Try using them yourself
Next time you hear a sound, try finding its Korean counterpart. Heard a cat? That’s 야옹 (yaong). Dropped something? 쿵 (kung) is your word. The more you listen for these, the more natural your Korean will sound.
