Key Facts
- Word: 반의어 (banuieo), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: neutral, textbook and dictionary term
- Senses: antonym
- Hanja: 反義語
Antonym in Korean: What Does 반의어 Mean?
반의어 is the label for pairs like 크다 and 작다, big and small. Dictionaries list them, teachers set exercises on them, and learners study contrasts such as big–small and long–short together. The everyday way to say the same thing is 반대말, "opposite word", and the two overlap almost completely: 반의어 sounds more academic. Together with 동의어 and 유의어 it forms the basic vocabulary for discussing word meaning in Korean.
How Do You Pronounce 반의어?
Say ban-ui-eo. Written with three syllables, the ㄴ at the end of 반 moves to the vowel 의, so the careful reading is [바늬어]; the ㅢ in a later syllable is also often softened to 이, giving [바니어]. The romanisation banuieo shows the link, with no hyphen needed. The ㅓ in 어 is unrounded.
Example Sentences with 반의어
'크다'의 반의어는 '작다'예요.
'keuda'ui banuieoneun 'jakda'yeyo
The antonym of 'big' is 'small'.
의 links the two words. 예요 follows the quoted dictionary form 작다, which is how definitions are written.
이 단어의 반의어를 알아요?
i daneoui banuieoreul arayo
Do you know the antonym of this word?
알아요 means "know". The question ends in a rising tone, since it has no question word.
사전에서 반의어를 찾아 보세요.
sajeoneseo banuieoreul chaja boseyo
Look up the antonym in the dictionary.
찾아 보세요 is a polite instruction. 에서 marks the place where you search.
Common Phrases and Collocations
In study contexts the word has these partners.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 반의어를 찾다 | to find the antonym |
| 반의어 관계 | antonym relationship |
| 동의어와 반의어 | synonyms and antonyms |
The Mistake to Avoid
The pair 반의어 and 동의어 differ by a single syllable.
Wrong: ✗ Using 반의어 to ask for a word with the same meaning
Correct: ✓ 동의어 for same meaning; 반의어 for opposite meaning
The first syllable decides: 반 means opposite, 동 means same. Read it twice before you answer an exercise.
반의어 Compared with Similar Words
Three terms sit closest to 반의어.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 동의어 | synonym | Same meaning; 반의어 is the opposite. |
| 반대말 | opposite word | Everyday, more colloquial equivalent. |
| 유의어 | similar-meaning word | Near-synonym, close to 동의어. |
What Are the Hanja behind 반의어?
반의어 is Sino-Korean, written 反義語: 反 means opposite, 義 means meaning and 語 means word. The same pattern gives 동의어 with 同 (same) in place of 反.
Comparing Answers in a Korean Class
Two classmates are checking an exercise about opposite meanings. They quote dictionary forms, so the answers name words rather than describe a particular object.
Mina
이 문제는 반의어를 찾는 거예요?
I munjeneun banuieoreul channeun geoyeyo?
Are we supposed to find the antonym in this question?
Alex
네. 길다의 반의어가 뭐예요?
Ne. Gildaui banuieoga mwoyeyo?
Yes. What is the antonym of long?
Mina
짧다예요.
Jjaldayeyo.
It is short.
Alex
그럼 높다의 반의어는 낮다예요.
Geureom nopdaui banuieoneun natdayeyo.
Then the antonym of high is low.
길다 and 짧다 form the long–short pair; 높다 and 낮다 form high–low. 의 connects the quoted word to 반의어, just as English uses “of”. The classmate's short answer omits the repeated topic. The fuller pattern is already visible in the example with 크다 and 작다.
Which Words Commonly Go with 반의어?
반의어를 찾다 means to find an antonym. In a worksheet, it asks you to supply or select the word with an opposite meaning. 반의어를 쓰다 asks you to write it. These are literal study instructions, so you can translate them directly rather than search for a hidden idiom.
반의어 관계 means an “antonym relationship”. 관계 is relationship, and the phrase describes the link between two words. It does not name a third word. If a question asks whether two words have this relationship, check their meanings rather than whether their spelling or pronunciation looks different.
동의어와 반의어 is “synonyms and antonyms”. 와 joins the two categories. In a dictionary menu, the phrase may introduce links to words with the same and opposite meanings. You still need to check which label belongs to each list: the heading covers two different relationships.
Does Every Word Have One Clear Opposite?
An opposite belongs to a meaning in context. 크다 often pairs with 작다 for size. But 길다 pairs with 짧다 for length, and 높다 pairs with 낮다 for height. English may describe a building as “big” or “tall”; the Korean adjective you choose decides which opposite makes sense.
Negating a description also differs from naming an antonym. 크지 않다 means “not big”. 작다 means “small”. Something that is not big might be medium-sized, so the negative phrase does not necessarily give the same information as the opposite adjective. A 반의어 exercise usually expects the contrasting word itself.
Many nouns have no obvious everyday opposite. A chair, for example, does not need an antonym just because an exercise has taught you this category. When a dictionary gives several senses of one word, read the example attached to the sense before choosing a contrasting word.
Where Will You Meet This Classroom Word?
반의어 appears in dictionaries, vocabulary exercises and explanations of meaning. 반대말 is a familiar alternative in everyday questions and simple teaching materials. Both can be used politely; the academic feel of 반의어 concerns vocabulary choice, while an ending such as 예요 sets the sentence's politeness.
| Related word | Meaning | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 단어 | word | The item whose meaning you are comparing. |
| 뜻 | meaning | The contrast must concern meaning. |
| 사전 | dictionary | Check the relevant sense and its examples. |
| 반대말 | opposite word | A familiar way to ask the same basic question. |
Practise the adjective pairs in the opposites vocabulary lesson, where the contrast is easier to see than in isolated definitions.
Quick Self-Test
- What is the opposite of 길다: 짧다 or 낮다?
- Does 크지 않다 always mean 작다?
- Does 반의어 관계 describe opposite meanings or similar sounds?
Show answers
- 짧다. 낮다 pairs with 높다.
- No. “Not big” can include medium-sized things.
- Opposite meanings. 관계 names the relationship between the words.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is antonym in Korean?
It is 반의어 (banuieo), a word with the opposite meaning.
What is the everyday word for opposite?
반대말 is the more colloquial equivalent.
How do I pronounce 반의어?
Both [바늬어] and [바니어] are standard; [바니어] is common in everyday speech.
What is the antonym of 크다?
It is 작다, as the first example shows.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: opposites vocabulary lists many antonym pairs.
- Index: browse Korean words A to Z for more words like antonym.
- Practice: add 반의어 to your vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: 동의어. The next word on this list is 동의어, synonym.