Beginner Korean Society & Ideas Vocabulary (TOPIK 1)
A complete list of 230 beginner-level Korean society & ideas vocabulary words (TOPIK 1). Every word includes romanization and its English meaning, curated by a certified Korean language teacher. Filter to search, or switch levels below.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가지 | gaji | kind, sort |
| 갈비탕 | galbitang | galbitang, beef rib soup |
| 갈아타다 | garatada | to transfer (bus, subway) |
| 감사 L1-03 | gamsa | thanks, gratitude |
| 것 | geot | thing |
| 계속 | gyesok | continuously, nonstop |
| 고프다 | gopeuda | to be hungry |
| 곳 | got | place |
| 공부 | gongbu | study, studying |
| 구 L1-07 | gu | nine |
| 구경 | gugyeong | looking around, sightseeing |
| 구십 L1-07 | gusip | ninety |
| 구월 L1-10 | guwol | September |
| 국적 L1-04 | gukjeok | nationality |
| 그 L1-05 | geu | that |
| 그렇다 | geureota | to be so, to be like that |
| 그릇 | geureut | bowl, dish |
| 그저께 | geujeokke | the day before yesterday |
| 그쪽 | geujjok | that side, that way |
| 글 | geul | writing, text |
| 기간 | gigan | period, term |
| 기숙사 | gisuksa | dormitory |
| 나 | na | I, me |
| 나다 | nada | to grow, to come up |
| 나오다 | naoda | to come out |
| 나중 | najung | later, the future |
| 날 | nal | day |
| 날짜 L1-10 | naljja | date |
| 남대문 | namdaemun | Namdaemun Gate |
| 남산 | namsan | Namsan Mountain |
| 내 | nae | my |
| 내일 | naeil | tomorrow |
| 노래방 | noraebang | karaoke room, noraebang |
| 뉴스 | nyuseu | news |
| 늦다 | neutda | to be late |
| 다 | da | all, everything |
| 다녀오다 | danyeooda | to go and come back |
| 다른 | dareun | other, different |
| 다섯 L1-08 | daseot | five (native) |
| 달 | dal | month |
| 대답 | daedap | answer, reply |
| 대사관 | daesagwan | embassy |
| 대학 | daehak | university, college |
| 대학생 | daehaksaeng | university student |
| 대화 | daehwa | conversation |
| 도와주다 | dowajuda | to help |
| 도착 | dochak | arrival |
| 돕다 | dopda | to help |
| 동대문 | dongdaemun | Dongdaemun Gate |
| 동안 | dongan | during, period of time |
| 된장찌개 | doenjangjjigae | doenjang stew, soybean paste stew |
| 두 L1-08 | du | two (native) |
| 드라마 | deurama | drama, TV series |
| 드리다 | deurida | to give (honorific) |
| 들어오다 | deureooda | to come in |
| 때 | ttae | time, when |
| 마흔 L1-08 | maheun | forty (native) |
| 만 L1-07 | man | ten thousand |
| 말다 | malda | to not do, to stop |
| 말레이시아 L1-04 | malleisia | Malaysia |
| 말씀 | malsseum | words, speech (honorific) |
| 맛 | mat | taste, flavor |
| 매일 | maeil | every day |
| 먼저 | meonjeo | first, beforehand |
| 멀다 | meolda | to be far |
| 몇 | myeot | how many, a few |
| 모두 | modu | all, everyone |
| 모레 | more | the day after tomorrow |
| 목욕탕 | mogyoktang | public bathhouse |
| 못하다 | mothada | to be bad at, to do poorly |
| 몽골 L1-04 | monggol | Mongolia |
| 묻다 | mutda | to ask |
| 미안 L1-03 | mian | sorry, apology |
| 미용실 | miyongsil | hair salon |
| 바쁘다 | bappeuda | to be busy |
| 백 L1-07 | baek | hundred |
| 백만 L1-07 | baengman | million |
| 번호 | beonho | number |
| 보통 | botong | ordinary, usually |
| 부르다 | bureuda | to call (someone) |
| 부산 | busan | Busan |
| 부탁 | butak | favor, request |
| 불 | bul | fire |
| 불다 L1-17 | bulda | to blow |
| 사 L1-07 | sa | four |
| 사귀다 | sagwida | to make friends with |
| 사랑 | sarang | love |
| 사십 L1-07 | sasip | forty |
| 사용 | sayong | use, usage |
| 사월 L1-10 | sawol | April |
| 사이다 | saida | lemon-lime soda |
| 삼 L1-07 | sam | three |
| 삼십 L1-07 | samsip | thirty |
| 삼월 L1-10 | samwol | March |
| 생신 L1-11 | saengsin | birthday (honorific) |
| 샤워 | syawo | shower |
| 서른 L1-08 | seoreun-seoreun | thirty (native) |
| 설명 | seolmyeong | explanation |
| 세 L1-08 | se | three (native) |
| 세수 | sesu | washing one's face |
| 소개 L1-04 | sogae | introduction |
| 소금 | sogeum | salt |
| 수첩 | sucheop | pocket notebook, planner |
| 슈퍼마켓 | syupeomaket | supermarket |
| 스키 | seuki | ski, skiing |
| 시 L1-09 | si | o'clock, hour |
| 시간 | sigan | time, hour |
| 시다 | sida | to be sour |
| 시작 | sijak | start, beginning |
| 시청 | sicheong | city hall |
| 신다 | sinda | to put on (shoes, socks) |
| 실례 | sillye | discourtesy, excuse me |
| 십 L1-07 | sip | ten |
| 십만 L1-07 | simman | hundred thousand |
| 십이월 L1-10 | sibiwol | December |
| 십일월 L1-10 | sibirwol | November |
| 쓰다 | sseuda | to write |
| 쓰다 | sseuda | to use |
| 쓰다 | sseuda | to be bitter |
| 씨 | ssi | Mr., Ms. (after a name) |
| 아르바이트 | areubaiteu | part-time job |
| 아름답다 | areumdapda | to be beautiful |
| 아홉 L1-08 | ahop | nine (native) |
| 아흔 L1-08 | aheun | ninety (native) |
| 알다 | alda | to know |
| 알리다 | allida | to inform, to let know |
| 어떻다 | eotteota | to be how |
| 어제 | eoje | yesterday |
| 억 L1-07 | eok | hundred million |
| 언제 | eonje | when |
| 여권 | yeogwon | passport |
| 여덟 L1-08 | yeodeol | eight (native) |
| 여든 L1-08 | yeodeun | eighty (native) |
| 여섯 L1-08 | yeoseot | six (native) |
| 연습 | yeonseup | practice |
| 열 L1-08 | yeol | ten (native) |
| 열쇠 | yeolsoe | key |
| 영 L1-07 | yeong | zero |
| 오 L1-07 | o | five |
| 오늘 | oneul | today |
| 오렌지 | orenji | orange |
| 오십 L1-07 | osip | fifty |
| 오월 L1-10 | owol | May |
| 외국 | oeguk | foreign country |
| 외국어 | oegugeo | foreign language |
| 우표 | upyo | postage stamp |
| 원 L1-15 | won | won (Korean currency) |
| 월 L1-10 | wol | month (in dates) |
| 유명 | yumyeong | fame, being famous |
| 육 L1-07 | yuk | six |
| 육십 L1-07 | yuksip | sixty |
| 이 L1-05 | i | this |
| 이 L1-07 | i | two |
| 이십 L1-07 | isip | twenty |
| 이월 L1-10 | iwol | February |
| 인도네시아 L1-04 | indonesia | Indonesia |
| 인분 L1-14 | inbun | serving, portion |
| 일 L1-07 | il | one |
| 일 L1-10 | il | day (counting days) |
| 일곱 L1-08 | ilgop | seven (native) |
| 일월 L1-10 | irwol | January |
| 일주일 | iljuil | one week |
| 일흔 L1-08 | ilheun | seventy (native) |
| 있다 | itda | to be, to exist, to have |
| 잘못 | jalmot | fault, mistake |
| 잠 | jam | sleep |
| 잠깐 | jamkkan | a moment, briefly |
| 잠시 | jamsi | a short while |
| 잡수시다 L1-11 | japsusida | to eat (honorific) |
| 잡채 | japchae | japchae, stir-fried glass noodles |
| 저 L1-05 | jeo | that (over there) |
| 저쪽 | jeojjok | over there, that side |
| 전 | jeon | former |
| 전공 | jeongong | major (field of study) |
| 정말 | jeongmal | really |
| 제 | je | my (humble) |
| 제일 | jeil | the most, first |
| 제주도 | jejudo | Jeju Island |
| 조금 | jogeum | a little |
| 종업원 | jongeobwon | employee, server |
| 주 | ju | week |
| 주무시다 L1-11 | jumusida | to sleep (honorific) |
| 주부 | jubu | housewife |
| 주인 | juin | owner |
| 주일 | juil | week |
| 준비 | junbi | preparation |
| 중 | jung | in the middle of, during |
| 지금 | jigeum | now |
| 지난달 | jinandal | last month |
| 지난해 | jinanhae | last year |
| 지하철역 | jihacheoryeok | subway station |
| 질문 | jilmun | question |
| 찍다 | jjikda | to stamp (a seal) |
| 참외 | chamoe | Korean melon |
| 찾아보다 | chajaboda | to look up, to search through |
| 천 L1-07 | cheon | thousand |
| 천만 L1-07 | cheonman | ten million |
| 초콜릿 | chokollit | chocolate |
| 추다 | chuda | to dance |
| 축하 | chukha | congratulations, celebration |
| 출발 | chulbal | departure |
| 친절 | chinjeol | kindness |
| 친하다 | chinhada | to be close with |
| 칠 L1-07 | chil | seven |
| 칠십 L1-07 | chilsip | seventy |
| 칠월 L1-10 | chirwol | July |
| 카메라 | kamera | camera |
| 커피숍 | keopisyop | coffee shop |
| 컵 | keop | cup |
| 콘서트 | konseoteu | concert |
| 크다 | keuda | to be tall |
| 터미널 | teomineol | bus terminal |
| 테니스 | teniseu | tennis |
| 퇴근 | toegeun | leaving work, getting off work |
| 특별하다 | teukbyeolhada | to be special |
| 팔 L1-07 | pal | eight |
| 팔십 L1-07 | palsip | eighty |
| 팔월 L1-10 | parwol | August |
| 포도 | podo | grape |
| 피아노 | piano | piano |
| 필요 | piryo | need, necessity |
| 필통 | piltong | pencil case |
| 하루 | haru | one day, a day |
| 학생증 | haksaengjeung | student ID card |
| 한 L1-08 | han | one (native) |
| 한가하다 | hangahada | to be free, to be leisurely |
| 한복 | hanbok | hanbok, Korean traditional dress |
| 호 | ho | issue, number |
| 혼자 | honja | alone, by oneself |
| 회의 | hoeui | meeting |
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)