Key Facts
- Hangul: 인형; Revised Romanization: inhyeong
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 人形 (人 person + 形 shape)
- Register: Neutral everyday word; 곰 인형 is a teddy bear / stuffed bear.
Doll in Korean: What Does 인형 Mean?
인형 means "doll" and also "stuffed toy". It is a neutral, everyday noun. 곰 인형, literally "bear doll", is a teddy bear, so the word stretches to cuddly figures as well as dolls.
How Do You Pronounce 인형?
Two syllables, in-hyeong. The ending hyeong is a single quick syllable that begins with an h and glides through a y sound.
Example Sentences with 인형
인형이 예뻐요.
inhyeongi yeppeoyo.
The doll is pretty.
A comment on looks. 인형이 is the subject and 예뻐요 is the description.
아이가 인형을 안고 자요.
aiga inhyeongeul ango jayo.
The child sleeps hugging a doll.
A bedtime scene. The child holds the doll, so 안고 links the hugging to the sleeping that follows.
생일 선물로 인형을 받았어요.
saengil seonmullo inhyeongeul badasseoyo.
I got a doll as a birthday present.
A gift. 생일 선물로 means as a birthday present, and 받았어요 puts it in the past.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Three combinations are worth knowing. 곰 인형 is a teddy bear. 인형 뽑기 is the claw machine game, where you try to win a doll. 인형을 안다 means to hug a doll.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 곰 인형 | teddy bear / stuffed bear |
| 인형 뽑기 | claw machine |
| 인형을 안다 | to hug a doll |
The Mistake to Avoid
Mistake: calling any toy 인형, for example a toy car or a ball. Correct: toys in general are 장난감; 인형 is only a doll, a figure or a stuffed toy.
인형 Compared with Related Words
Two related words show the edges. 장난감 is the broad category and 봉제 인형 is a sewn stuffed toy.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 인형 | doll | This page's word |
| 장난감 | toy | 장난감 is any toy; 인형 is specifically a doll or figure. |
| 봉제 인형 | stuffed toy | 봉제 인형 is a sewn stuffed toy. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
인형 is Sino-Korean, written 人形 in hanja: 人 means person and 形 means shape. So the word literally means a person-shaped figure.
In a Toy Shop: Choosing a Birthday Present
A customer is choosing a stuffed animal as a gift. The shop worker narrows the choice by asking about size.
Customer:
곰 인형 있어요?
Gom inhyeong isseoyo?
Do you have teddy bears?
Worker:
네, 큰 거하고 작은 거 있어요.
Ne, keun geohago jageun geo isseoyo.
Yes. We have big ones and small ones.
Customer:
작은 거 주세요. 선물이에요.
Jageun geo juseyo. Seonmurieyo.
A small one, please. It’s a gift.
Worker:
포장해 드릴까요?
Pojanghae deurilkkayo?
Would you like me to wrap it?
곰 tells the worker which kind of 인형 the customer wants. 큰 거 and 작은 거 mean “a big one” and “a small one,” so the speakers can avoid repeating the full name. 선물이에요 explains the purpose of the purchase. The worker’s last line offers a service politely.
Does 인형 Have to Look Like a Person?
인형 includes soft animal toys as well as human-shaped dolls. 곰 인형 is a teddy bear, and 토끼 인형 is a rabbit toy. In each phrase, the first noun identifies what the toy represents. The English translation can therefore be “doll,” “stuffed animal,” or “plush toy,” depending on the object.
봉제 인형 specifies a sewn stuffed toy. 봉제 refers to sewing, so the phrase is useful in product descriptions where the material construction matters. 인형 alone leaves that detail open. A hard plastic doll and a soft teddy bear can both fall under 인형.
장난감 is the broader word for toys. A toy car belongs in that category but is not an 인형. Conversely, a collector may display an 인형 rather than play with it. The object word does not tell you the owner's age or what they do with it.
Phrases in Arcades, Stories, and Descriptions
인형 뽑기 literally means “doll picking” and names the claw-machine game. The verb 뽑다 carries the idea of pulling or picking something out. 인형 뽑는 기계 is a machine for that activity. In everyday talk, people can use the shorter activity name when discussing a claw machine.
인형을 안다 means to hug or hold a doll in one's arms. In the bedtime example, 안고 자요 links holding the toy with sleeping. 인형 옷 means doll clothes: 옷 names the clothes, while 인형 says whose clothes or what kind they are.
인형 같다 means “to be like a doll.” In a comment about appearance, the comparison can describe someone as doll-like or very pretty. It is a figurative description rather than a statement that the person is a toy. Context decides whether the comparison sounds admiring or feels uncomfortable; a direct comment about someone's looks is personal.
Words beside 인형 in a Shop or Child's Room
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 곰 | bear | Combine it with 인형 for a teddy bear. |
| 토끼 | rabbit | Identifies a rabbit-shaped toy in 토끼 인형. |
| 선물 | gift | Explains why the customer wants wrapping. |
| 포장 | wrapping; packaging | Appears when the shop offers to wrap the purchase. |
The kids and toys vocabulary lesson teaches the broader play vocabulary. When shopping, naming the animal, size, and gift purpose gives the worker more useful information than simply repeating 인형.
Quick Self-Test
- Can 인형 describe a soft rabbit toy?
- Which is broader: 장난감 or 인형?
- Does 인형 같다 always refer to a real toy?
Show answers
- Yes. 토끼 인형 is a rabbit toy.
- 장난감 covers toys in general.
- No. It can describe a person figuratively as doll-like.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "doll" in Korean?
Say 인형 (inhyeong).
Can 인형 mean a teddy bear?
Yes, as 곰 인형, a stuffed bear.
What is a claw machine called?
It is 인형 뽑기, literally "doll picking".
Is 인형 the same as 장난감?
No. 장난감 is any toy. 인형 is a doll or figure.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean Kids and Toys Vocabulary places 인형 with the other words of its topic.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Flashcards: put 인형 into the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next entry: The next entry on the kids and toys list is the fairy tale, so see fairy tale.
- Compare: 장난감 is covered on its own page.