Key Facts
- Hangul: 검은색; Revised Romanization: geomeunsaek
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed: native 검은 + Sino-Korean 색 (色, color)
- Register: neutral, standard noun for the color; 검정 and 까만색 are common alternatives
Black in Korean: What Does 검은색 Mean?
검은색 means "black" as the name of a color. It is a noun, so it can stand before another noun (검은색 가방, a black bag), take particles (검은색을 좋아해요, I like black) or be the predicate with 이에요 (검은색이에요, it is black).
The first part, 검은, is the form of the adjective 검다 (geomda) ("to be black") that goes before a noun, and 색 means color. So the word literally means "black color".
How Do You Pronounce 검은색?
Three syllables: geo-meun-saek. The ㅁ of 검 links into the next syllable, so you hear geo-meun, not geom-eun. The final ㄱ of 색 is an unreleased k. Before a vowel it links forward as a g: 검은색이에요 is [geo-meun-sae-gi-e-yo].
Example Sentences with 검은색
검은색 가방을 샀어요.
Geomeunsaek gabangeul sasseoyo
I bought a black bag.
검은색 stands before 가방 (bag) to describe it. 샀어요 is the past tense of "buy".
저는 검은색을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun geomeunsaegeul joahaeyo
I like black.
Here 검은색 is the object of 좋아해요 (like), so it takes the object particle 을.
그 옷은 검은색이에요.
Geu oseun geomeunsaegieyo
That outfit is black.
이에요 attaches to the noun 검은색 to say "is black". This only works with the noun form.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 검은색 옷 | black clothes |
| 검은색 머리 | black hair |
| 검은색 차 | black car |
| 검은색 펜 | black pen |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: using 검은 as a noun, as in 검은이에요, or using 검은색 as if it were the adjective.
Correct: 검은 goes before a noun (검은 가방). 검은색 is the noun, so say 검은색이에요. To say "it is black" with the adjective, use 검어요.
검은색 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 검은색 | black (color) | This page's word: the standard noun |
| 검정 | black (noun) | A shorter noun for the same color; 검정색 is also heard |
| 까만색 | black (vivid) | Built on 까맣다; sounds more vivid and colloquial |
| 흑색 | black (written) | Sino-Korean; found in written or technical contexts |
Where Does the Word Come From?
검은색 is a mixed word. 검은 is native Korean, from the adjective 검다 (geomda), while 색 is the Sino-Korean reading of 色, color. The fully Sino-Korean 흑색 (黑色) sounds more formal for that reason.
Choosing a Bag in a Shop
A customer likes the shape of a bag but wants another colour. The shop assistant checks the colour before the customer makes a choice.
Customer
이 가방은 검은색도 있어요?
I gabangeun geomeunsaekdo isseoyo?
Does this bag also come in black?
Assistant
네, 검은색 있어요.
Ne, geomeunsaek isseoyo.
Yes, we have black.
Customer
검은색으로 주세요.
Geomeunsaegeuro juseyo.
I’ll take the black one, please.
Assistant
네, 여기 있어요.
Ne, yeogi isseoyo.
Yes, here you are.
검은색도 asks whether black is available “too”. In 검은색으로 주세요, 으로 marks the option the customer chooses. This is different from 검은색을 좋아해요, where 을 marks the colour as the object of “like”. Once everyone knows they are discussing bags, the customer can choose a colour without repeating 가방.
Which Form Goes before a Noun?
검은 가방 and 검은색 가방 both mean a black bag. The first uses 검은, the form of 검다 used before a noun. The second puts the colour noun 검은색 in front of 가방. You will meet both in product descriptions and ordinary conversation. In 검은색 가방, write a space between the colour and the object.
To name the colour by itself, use 검은색 or 검정. A colour selector may simply display 검정. In a full sentence, 검은색이에요 identifies the colour as black. 검어요 describes something as black using the adjective. These patterns let you connect the same colour idea to different sentence structures.
When pointing to an option in a shop, 검은색으로 주세요 is useful because it names the choice directly. The ending is 으로 because 색 ends in ㄱ. The colour word stays the same whether you are choosing a bag, a notebook or a pen. The object comes from the surrounding conversation.
Set Phrases That Use Black Figuratively
검은돈 literally means “black money”, but its real meaning is money obtained or used illicitly. It is written as one word. In news or a crime drama, the phrase concerns the source or use of the money, rather than the physical colour of banknotes.
흑백 means “black and white”. In 흑백 사진, it describes a black-and-white photograph. 흑백 논리 means a way of thinking that divides everything into two opposing categories, such as entirely right or entirely wrong. The first phrase is about appearance; the second describes an oversimplified judgment.
These expressions use particular forms: 검은돈 has 검은, and 흑백 uses the Sino-Korean roots for black and white. Replacing them with 검은색 would lose the established expression. Learn the whole phrase when the meaning is figurative.
Where Will You Read the Colour Name?
Online clothing shops and stationery labels often present colour names as short options without particles. Product photos help you identify the relevant object, while the written option confirms the colour. 검은색 볼펜 is a black ballpoint pen; on a pen package, the colour label may refer to the ink rather than the barrel. Check what the label describes.
Colours and Shades to Compare
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 흰색 | white | The opposite colour in a simple black-and-white choice. |
| 회색 | grey | A separate colour, not just another name for black. |
| 남색 | navy blue | A dark blue that can look black in a small image. |
| 색깔 | colour | A general word for asking about or describing colours. |
The colour vocabulary lesson teaches the broader set for shopping and descriptions.
Quick Self-Test
- Can 검은 stand alone in 검은이에요?
- What does 검은돈 refer to?
- How would you choose the black option politely?
Show answers
- No. Use 검은색이에요, or the adjective 검어요.
- Illicit money.
- 검은색으로 주세요.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "black" in Korean?
Say 검은색 (geomeunsaek). 검정 is also common.
What is the difference between 검은색 and 검정?
They name the same color. 검정 is a shorter noun; 검은색 is built from the adjective form 검은 plus 색.
When would I use 까만색?
까만색 sounds more vivid and colloquial, as in a deep, glossy black.
Can I say 검은이에요?
No. 검은 must go before a noun. Say 검은색이에요, or use the adjective: 검어요.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: color vocabulary for the other colors.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Read next: white in Korean.