10+ Popular Flowers In Korean And Their Meanings
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/ko/flowers-in-korean/
While binge-watching K-dramas like Goblin, have you noticed how important flowers in Korean culture are? Today, let’s talk about flowers in Korean 꽃 Kkot.
It’s amazing how flowers can symbolize something for Koreans. In Crash Landing On You, the edelweiss given by Captain Ri to Se-ri symbolizes courage. The buckwheat flower given by the Goblin Kim Shin to Eun-tak means a lover, and the evening primrose gifted to Goo Chan-Sung in Hotel del Luna symbolizes youth, eternal love, and memory.
In this blog, we will learn Korean flower names and Korean words, and Korean phrases related to flowers. If you are still new to the Korean alphabet or the Korean language itself, do not worry because there is an English translation in every Korean word mentioned. You can also start learning Korean with Ling App and see how it can make magic happen.
How To Say Flower In The Korean Language
꽃 (Kkot) — Flowers
Before anything else, the first thing that we should learn is how to say flower in Korean. The Korean word for flower is 꽃 (Kkot). As you may have seen, the word ends with (the “t” sound). This means that when you combine it with an object or a noun that denotes particles, you’ll say 꽃을 (kkocheul) or 꽃이 (kkochi).
If you’re a beginner, it’s not easy to read Korean at first. But, as soon as you have understood the Korean writing system and the pronunciation of every word, you’ll realize that Korean is indeed an easy language to learn compared to other East Asian languages like Chinese and Japanese. So, why not learn Hangeul today?
Flowers In South Korea
South Korea is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places, especially during the spring and autumn seasons. Some say that these are the best time to visit South Korea, especially if you want to see flowers blooming or the cherry blossoms 벚꽃 (Beotkkot) during beautiful autumn foliage.
As mentioned above, flowers have a significant role in Korean culture. It is used on special occasions like celebrations and memorials. Since growing flowers isn’t that hard because of the weather in South Korea, flowers it’s no surprise that flowers have always been part of their lives. So, here is a complete list of common flowers in Korean:
1. 무궁화 (Mugunghwa)
English Translation: Rose of Sharon or Hibiscus Syriacus
Let’s start the list of flowers in Korean culture with South Korea’s national flower — Hibiscus Syriacus or the Rose of Sharon (무궁화 Mugunghwa). It is a pink-mauve single flower with dark magenta eyes.
For the Korean series Squid Game fans, you might have heard this because of the song “The Mugunghwa Flower Is Blooming.” There’s also a train that runs in South Korea bearing the name of their national flower. The Rose of Sharon (궁화 Mugunghwa) symbolizes everlasting life.
2. 벚꽃 (Beotkkot)
English Translation: Cherry Blossoms / Cherry Blossom Trees
When we talk about flowers in Korean, it’s impossible not to talk about cherry blossoms. Many iconic romantic K-drama scenes have the presence of cherry blossom that makes everything so romantic. Every April, cherry blossoms bloom down the street, creating a scene that appears exactly like the romance scenes in Korean dramas.
Although cherry blossom is mostly associated with Japan, the blooming of cherry blossoms marks the beginning of spring’s arrival in South Korea. There are lots of places in South Korea where you can enjoy cherry blossoms, like in Jinhae during the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, in Hwagae during the Hwagae Cherry Blossom Festival, and of course, in Winter Sonata’s Nami Island (Chuncheon).
3. 장미 (Jangmi)
English Translation: Rose
Roses 장미 (jangmi) are commonly associated with love and romance. It is often gifted as a sign of love or appreciation to someone. But, roses have different meanings according to colors for Koreans. The orange rose symbolizes first love, the pink rose symbolizes happiness or lovers, and the red rose means passionate love.
4. 해바라기 (Haebaragi)
English Translation: Sunflower
Like the name itself, sunflower 해바라기 (haebaragi) symbolizes happiness because it helps brighten someone’s mood. For the best view of sunflowers, do not forget to visit Gangwon Province in Guwau Village, the city of Taebaek, during the month of August. You can also experience the Taebaek Sunflower Festival that is being held from July 24 to August 16.
5. 생사초 (Saengsacho)
English Translation: Resurrection Plant (Pyrenean Violet)
This is the flower that you wouldn’t want to be found easily for every Kingdom fan. This is a rare purple flower that is said to have the power to bring back the dead to life in the form of mindless, bloodthirsty zombies. But of course, this is all just part of the story.
In reality, the so-called resurrection plant is called Pyrenean violet. It is a kind of violet (제비꽃 jebikkot) flower famous in South Korea. Just like what is mentioned in the series Kingdom, Pyrenean violet survives in its naturally cold habitat, but it can never turn someone into a zombie in reality.
8. 매화 (Maehwa)
English Translation: Plum Blossom
In Korea, plum blossoms are also regarded as one of the first signs of spring. Plum blossoms have a soft and wonderful appeal as a dazzlingly beautiful Korean spring flower. The delicate white or pink petals with golden stamens create a wonderful harmony. Plum blossom is best viewed by the tourists in Gwangyang village during mid to late March.
9. 산수유 (Sansuyu)
English Translation: Cornelian Cherry Flower
The Cornelian cherry flower is one of the famous flowers in Korean culture because it blooms everywhere during springtime. This bright yellow-colored flower means immortality. Koreans also use this in making medicine, tea, and more. Suppose you want to see the beauty of the Cornelian cherry flower. In that case, you can visit Gurye, Yangpyeong the months of July to September or attend the Gurye Sansuyu Festival and Yangpyeong Sansuyu Hanwoo Festival.
10. 유채꽃 (Yuchaekkot)
English Translation: Rapeseed flower (Canola Flower)
The rapeseed flower is called the queen of Jeju island during the spring season. This flower can turn Jeju Island into a beautiful and romantic scene that relieves stress and makes you feel so wonderful. There are different festivals held for rapeseed flowers, and one of them is the Jeju Canola Flower Festival (제주유채꽃축제 jejuyuchaekkotchukje). If you wanna experience it by yourself, you can visit Jejudo, Daejeo, or Guri from late March to early May.
Other Flowers In Korean
Vocabulary Related To Flowers In Korean
Flower Meanings In K-dramas
Keep Your Korean Vocabulary In Full Bloom
With the influence of Hallyu (한류 Hallyu) or the Korean wave, many people want to learn Korean. Binge-watching K-dramas or listening to K-pop music might help, but why not take it to the next level and explore language learning apps like Ling App?
Ling App is a language learning platform where you can learn Korean and other languages using bite-size topics, mini-quizzes, games, grammar tips, dialogues, and even blog posts. For those who can’t afford to enroll in language courses or travel to Korea, Ling App will give you a fantastic language learning experience.
The journey of learning Korean with the Ling App is like growing flowers. You need to plant your seeds in the form of time and effort, be patient, and soon enough, your Korean language skills will be in full bloom. So, waste no time and start learning Korean now!
