Key Facts
- Word: 선거 (seongeo), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: Neutral to formal; news and civic contexts.
- Hanja: 選擧 (選 choose + 擧 raise)
- Senses: election
Election in Korean: What Does 선거 Mean?
선거 is the whole event of choosing leaders or representatives. The act of putting a ballot in the box is a different word, 투표. Presidential, local and parliamentary elections all take 선거 as the base: 대통령 선거 is the presidential one.
How Do You Pronounce 선거?
The word is [선거], two syllables with a simple n and a plain g. The ㄱ in 거 stays soft, close to the g in "go". The particle joins directly: 선거가 and 선거에서 are read as spelled.
Example Sentences with 선거
내일 선거가 있어요.
naeil seongeoga isseoyo
There is an election tomorrow.
내일 is "tomorrow" and 있어요 says something exists or takes place. 선거가 is the subject, so the sentence means an election will be held.
저는 선거에서 투표했어요.
jeoneun seongeoeseo tupyohaesseoyo
I voted in the election.
에서 marks the place or event where an action happens. 투표했어요 is the past of "voted", so you can see how 선거 and 투표 split the job.
대통령 선거는 5년마다 있어요.
daetongnyeong seongeoneun onyeonmada isseoyo
The presidential election is held every five years.
마다 means "every", so 5년마다 is "every five years". The sentence states the cycle for presidential elections.
Common Phrases and Collocations
You will meet these patterns in news headlines.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 선거에 나가다 | to run in an election |
| 대통령 선거 | presidential election |
| 선거 결과 | election result |
The Mistake to Avoid: Voting Verbs
Wrong: ✗ 선거를 투표했어요
Correct: ✓ 선거에서 투표했어요
투표 is the act of casting a ballot and takes place at an election. Use 에서 for the election, or say 투표를 했어요.
선거 Compared with Similar Words
Election words split the process between the event, the act and the people.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 투표 | vote | The act of casting a ballot. |
| 후보 | candidate | A person running. |
| 국민 | a nation’s people / citizens | A broader group than the electorate; 유권자 specifically refers to eligible voters. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
선거 is Sino-Korean, written 選擧 in hanja: 選 means "choose" and 擧 means "raise". Choosing and lifting up someone is the root idea.
Discussing a Student Election Poster
Two students stop in front of a school poster. The election is for a student representative, so 선거 applies outside national politics too.
Jisu
무슨 선거예요?
Museun seongeoyeyo?
What election is this?
Alex
학생회장 선거예요.
Haksaenghoejang seongeoyeyo.
It’s the student council president election.
Jisu
후보가 몇 명이에요?
Huboga myeon myeongieyo?
How many candidates are there?
Alex
세 명이에요. 공약도 여기 있어요.
Se myeongieyo. Gongyakdo yeogi isseoyo.
Three. Their campaign pledges are here too.
무슨 asks what kind of election it is. 학생회장 names the position being filled, while 후보 names the people running for it. 명 counts people: 세 명 means three people. 공약 introduces what those candidates promise to do if elected.
What Do Election Phrases Actually Describe?
선거에 나가다 literally uses 나가다, “go out,” but the phrase means to run in an election. The person is a candidate. A voter going out to cast a ballot is doing a different action, 투표하러 가다. Keeping that distinction prevents an ordinary voting plan from sounding like a plan to stand as a candidate.
선거 운동 means election campaigning. 운동 can mean exercise elsewhere, but this phrase concerns activity aimed at winning support. On a poster or in a news report, translate the whole phrase as campaigning rather than trying to keep the exercise meaning.
선거 결과 means election results. 결과 points to the outcome, while 개표 means counting the votes. A report about counting describes the process leading toward a result; the word 선거 alone does not tell you which stage a story covers. Read the noun beside it to identify the focus.
Where Will You See 선거?
News reports, campaign posters, school notices and announcements from organizations all use 선거. The word names a selection process for representatives or leaders, so it is not limited to choosing a country's president. A student council election and a public election share the word even though their rules differ.
선거일 means election day. 투표소 means polling place, so that is the useful word when the subject is the location for casting a ballot. 후보자 is a fuller word for a candidate; posters and profiles may use it where conversation uses 후보. These are vocabulary clues, rather than instructions about eligibility or voting procedures.
선거 is an ordinary public-life noun, with no insult or slang built into it. It fits a polite conversation as naturally as a news headline. The surrounding verbs set the tone: the dialogue uses 예요 and 있어요, while a printed notice may use short labels without complete sentences.
People, Promises and Outcomes
| Related word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 유권자 | eligible voter / electorate | More precise than 국민 when the subject is who can vote. |
| 후보자 | candidate | The person seeking the position. |
| 공약 | campaign pledge | A promise presented by a candidate. |
| 개표 | vote counting | The stage when cast votes are counted. |
| 당선 | being elected / winning election | Describes a successful candidate's outcome. |
The politics and government lesson teaches the broader civic set. Group these words by role: a candidate makes promises, voters vote, votes are counted, and a result follows. That sequence helps you understand which event a short headline is describing.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 선거에 나가다 mean simply going to vote?
- Can 선거 describe a student council election?
- Which word means counting the votes?
Show answers
- No. It means running as a candidate.
- Yes. It is not limited to national politics.
- 개표.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is election in Korean?
It is 선거 (seongeo), a neutral-to-formal noun.
How do I say "I voted in the election"?
Say 저는 선거에서 투표했어요.
What is the difference between 선거 and 투표?
선거 is the election event, and 투표 is casting the vote.
How do I say "presidential election"?
Say 대통령 선거.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: It is on the politics and government vocabulary list with the other civic terms.
- Index: the Korean words A to Z page lists every word entry, including election.
- Practice: put 선거 on your cards with the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: government in Korean is the next word in this list.