Key Facts
- Korean: 고양이, Revised Romanization goyangi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral everyday word
- With particles: 고양이가, 고양이는, 고양이를
Cat in Korean: What Does 고양이 Mean?
고양이 means cat. It covers house cats and street cats; context and compounds such as 길고양이 add detail.
How Do You Pronounce 고양이?
고양이 has three syllables, [go-yang-i]. The ㅇ at the end of 양 is "ng", and the final 이 is a separate "ee" sound.
Example Sentences with 고양이
고양이가 귀여워요.
Goyangiga gwiyeowoyo.
The cat is cute.
귀여워요 means "is cute", one of the most common things said about cats.
저는 고양이를 키워요.
Jeoneun goyangireul kiwoyo.
I have a cat.
키워요 comes from 키우다, "to raise or keep". This is how Koreans say they have a pet.
고양이가 자요.
Goyangiga jayo.
The cat is sleeping.
자요 means "is sleeping" here; the present tense covers actions in progress.
Phrases with 고양이
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 고양이를 키우다 | to keep a cat |
| 길고양이 | stray cat |
| 아기 고양이 | kitten |
| 고양이 사료 | cat food |
사료 is animal feed, so 고양이 사료 is what you buy at a pet shop.
A Common Mistake with 고양이
- Wrong: 고양, dropping the final 이.
- Correct: 고양이, as in 고양이가 or 고양이는.
The 이 is part of the noun, not a particle, so it never drops. Particles always come after the full word.
고양이 Compared with 강아지 and 개
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 고양이 | cat | This page's word |
| 강아지 | puppy | The other common pet |
| 개 | dog | Dog in general |
Meeting a Neighbor’s Cat
A visitor notices a cat in a neighbor’s apartment. The visitor asks about the pet, then checks before touching it.
Visitor
고양이를 키우세요?
Goyangireul kiuseyo?
Do you have a cat?
Neighbor
네, 두 마리 키워요.
Ne, du mari kiwoyo.
Yes, I have two.
Visitor
이 고양이를 만져도 돼요?
I goyangireul manjyeodo dwaeyo?
May I pet this cat?
Neighbor
네, 괜찮아요.
Ne, gwaenchanayo.
Yes, that’s fine.
키우세요 asks politely about keeping a pet. In the reply, 두 마리 means “two animals”: 마리 is the counter used for cats and many other animals. The speaker leaves out 고양이를 because the visitor already knows which animals they mean. 만져도 돼요 asks permission to touch; here English naturally uses “pet”.
Which Cat Expressions Are Literal?
고양이 사료 means cat food, while 고양이 간식 means cat treats. 사료 describes the animal’s regular food; 간식 is an extra snack. On a pet-shop shelf, recognizing the animal name helps you distinguish food for cats from food for dogs even before you understand the full product label.
고양이 세수 literally means “cat washing”, but it describes a person washing their face quickly and carelessly. A parent may use it when a child barely wets their face. The National Institute of Korean Language’s entry for 세수 includes this expression in a parent-child exchange. Translate the criticism of a hurried wash, rather than imagining an actual cat.
Where Will You See 고양이?
길고양이 appears in neighborhood discussions and notices about cats living outdoors. 길 means road or street. The compound describes where the cat lives; it does not tell you whether the animal is friendly or has previously had an owner. In conversation, 아기 고양이 describes a kitten and focuses on its young age.
고양이 카페 means cat cafe. In that name, 카페 identifies the business and 고양이 tells you what makes it distinctive. Look for the venue’s own instructions before approaching the animals. A sentence about a cat sleeping, such as the example above, reports what it is doing; it does not invite you to pick it up.
In videos and informal pet talk, you may hear 야옹, the Korean representation of a cat’s meow. 고양이 names the animal; 야옹 imitates its voice. Keeping those roles separate helps when a children’s story switches between describing the cat and representing its sound.
Cat Words to Learn Together
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 새끼 고양이 | kitten | 새끼 identifies a young animal here. |
| 반려묘 | companion cat / pet cat | Useful in articles and information about caring for cats. |
| 사료 | animal feed | 고양이 사료 specifies food for cats. |
| 발톱 | claw / toenail | For a cat, this refers to its claws. |
The animal vocabulary lesson puts 고양이 alongside other animals. 반려묘 specifically describes a cat kept as a companion, while the everyday 고양이 works for any cat. You can use the everyday word when you do not need to describe the relationship between the animal and a person.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you say “two cats” using an animal counter?
- Does 야옹 name the animal or imitate its sound?
- What does 고양이 세수 describe when said about a person?
Show answers
- 고양이 두 마리. 두 is the counting form of 둘 before 마리.
- It imitates a cat’s meow. The animal is 고양이.
- A quick, careless face wash.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Cat in Korean?
Say 고양이 (goyangi). It is the native everyday word for any cat, pet or stray. Particles attach after the full word, so "the cat" as a subject is 고양이가 and as a topic is 고양이는. A kitten is 아기 고양이, literally "baby cat".
How Do You Say "I Have a Cat" in Korean?
Say 저는 고양이를 키워요. 키우다 means to raise or keep an animal, and it is the normal verb for owning a pet. 키우다 emphasizes keeping or raising the pet. 고양이가 있어요 can also mean "I have a cat", while 저는 고양이를 키워요 makes the care relationship explicit.
What Is a Stray Cat in Korean?
A stray cat is 길고양이, from 길, street, and 고양이. Korean cities have many street cats, and some neighbors feed them regularly. The word is neutral and appears in news stories, on shelter websites and on neighborhood notices.
What Is the Difference between 고양이 and 강아지?
고양이 is a cat. 강아지 is a puppy, and in everyday speech also a small pet dog. They are the two most common pets in Korea, so they often appear together, for example when someone asks which you prefer.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more nature animals vocabulary.
- Find more single words like cat in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Another farm and pet word: chicken (animal) in Korean.
- Review cat (고양이) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.