Key Facts
- Korean: 곰, Revised Romanization gom
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral everyday word
- Pronunciation point: ends in ㅁ, lips closed
Bear in Korean: What Does 곰 Mean?
곰 means bear. Specific bears add a word in front, such as 반달곰 and 흰곰.
How Do You Pronounce 곰?
곰 is [gom]. Close your lips firmly for the final m.
Example Sentences with 곰
곰이 커요.
Gomi keoyo.
The bear is big.
커요 means "is big".
저는 곰 인형이 있어요.
Jeoneun gom inhyeongi isseoyo.
I have a teddy bear.
곰 인형 is a teddy bear, and 있어요 here means "have".
곰은 겨울에 자요.
Gomeun gyeoure jayo.
Bears sleep in winter.
겨울에 자요 means "sleep in winter", describing hibernation in simple words.
Phrases with 곰
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 곰 인형 | teddy bear |
| 흰곰 | polar bear |
| 반달곰 | Asiatic black bear |
| 곰 발바닥 | bear paw |
반달곰 comes from 반달, half-moon, after the pale mark on the bear's chest.
A Common Mistake with 곰
- Wrong: 공 when you mean a bear.
- Correct: 곰
공 means ball. The only difference is the final consonant, so close your lips at the end of 곰.
곰 Compared with 호랑이 and 판다
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 곰 | bear | This page's word |
| 호랑이 | tiger | The bear's rival in the founding myth |
| 판다 | panda | Has its own name |
The Bear in Korea's Founding Myth
In the Dangun foundation myth, a bear becomes a woman and gives birth to the founder of Korea.
Buying a Teddy Bear as a Gift
A customer points to a teddy bear on a shelf. 곰 인형 names the whole toy; the questions then focus on its size.
Customer
저 곰 인형 좀 보여 주세요.
Jeo gom inhyeong jom boyeo juseyo.
Please show me that teddy bear.
Shop assistant
큰 곰 인형이요?
Keun gom inhyeongiyo?
The big teddy bear?
Customer
네. 작은 것도 있어요?
Ne. Jageun geotdo isseoyo?
Yes. Do you have a small one too?
Shop assistant
네. 여기 있어요.
Ne. Yeogi isseoyo.
Yes. Here it is.
저 means “that” when pointing to something over there. 큰 and 작은 mean “big” and “small” before a noun. In 작은 것, 것 replaces the toy already mentioned, so the customer does not need to repeat 곰 인형. The assistant's 곰 인형이요 repeats the item politely to confirm which one the customer means.
Where Will You Meet 곰 outside a Dictionary?
곰 appears on zoo maps, in animal picture books and in nature programs. 반달곰 on an animal label identifies a particular kind of bear; 곰 alone gives the broad animal name. A toy-shop label saying 곰 인형 points to an object shaped like a bear. Look at the second word before deciding whether the subject is an animal or a toy.
In children’s songs and stories, 아기 곰 means “baby bear”. 아기 adds the idea of a baby, so the phrase can name a young bear in a story or a cute bear character. In a picture book, 엄마 곰 and 아빠 곰 mean “mother bear” and “father bear”. These are family labels within the story, rather than names for different species.
곰 is neutral vocabulary. There is no special polite word for the animal. In the shop dialogue, 주세요 supplies politeness to the request. Saying the bare words 곰 인형 while pointing may identify the item, but adding 주세요 turns them into a request to receive it.
Useful Bear Phrases and Related Animal Words
곰 한 마리 means “one bear”. 마리 counts animals, while 개 can count toys and other objects. A real bear and a teddy bear therefore need different counting words: 곰 한 마리 and 곰 인형 한 개. Keep 인형 in the toy phrase when the distinction matters.
곰 발바닥 is literal: the sole or pad of a bear's paw. On a drawing or a product decorated with paw prints, the phrase may describe the pictured shape rather than a real animal's foot. 곰 인형 is also literal in its construction, “bear doll”, but its natural English translation is “teddy bear”.
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 동물원 | zoo | The place where a visitor might ask to see a bear. |
| 새끼 | baby animal / young | Used when talking about an animal's offspring. |
| 발바닥 | sole / paw pad | Names the underside of the foot or paw. |
| 인형 | doll / stuffed toy | Distinguishes the gift from the living animal. |
The animal vocabulary lesson groups 곰 with other animals, including 호랑이. Learn the animal name separately from the place and toy words so you can recognise it in each setting.
Quick Self-Test
- Which means a teddy bear: 곰 or 곰 인형?
- Would you count a living bear with 마리 or 잔?
- What does 반달 refer to in 반달곰?
Show answers
- 곰 인형. 곰 by itself names the animal.
- 마리, the animal counter.
- A half-moon, referring to the pale chest marking.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Bear in Korean?
Say 곰 (gom). It is the native everyday word for any bear. Specific kinds add a word in front: 반달곰 is the Asiatic black bear, named for the half-moon mark on its chest, and 흰곰 is the polar bear. A teddy bear is 곰 인형.
How Do You Say Teddy Bear in Korean?
Say 곰 인형, literally "bear doll". 인형 means doll or stuffed toy. 저는 곰 인형이 있어요 means "I have a teddy bear". The phrase is common in gift shops, and the toy is a popular present for children and couples.
What Is the Bear in the Dangun Myth?
In the Dangun foundation myth, a bear and a tiger ask to become human. The bear endures the trial, becomes a woman and gives birth to Dangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom. The story is a well-known part of Korean culture.
How Do I Avoid Confusing 곰 and 공?
Watch the final consonant. 곰, bear, ends in ㅁ: close your lips at the end. 공, ball, ends in ㅇ, the "ng" in "sing", with the lips open. Practice the pair aloud until your lips close clearly on 곰.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more animals vocabulary.
- Find more single words like bear in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Review bear (곰) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.