Key Facts
- Hangul: 시험; Revised Romanization: siheom
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 試驗 (試 test + 驗 verify)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. The verb is 시험(을) 보다 'to take an exam'.
Exam in Korean: What Does 시험 Mean?
시험 means an exam or a test: a school exam, a job exam or a driving test. It is neutral and used in both speech and writing. The verb is 시험(을) 보다, to take an exam.
How Do You Pronounce 시험?
Two syllables: si-heom. The h is light, and the second syllable ends in the m sound with lips closed.
Example Sentences with 시험
내일 시험이 있어요.
Naeil siheomi isseoyo.
I have an exam tomorrow.
A casual heads-up. 이 marks the subject, and 있어요 says the exam exists tomorrow.
시험을 봐요.
Siheomeul bwayo.
I take an exam.
The verb 봐요 is the natural pair for taking an exam. Compare this with the mistakes listed below.
시험 공부를 열심히 했어요.
Siheom gongbureul yeolsimhi haesseoyo.
I studied hard for the exam.
시험 공부 is a compound for exam study, and 열심히 adds "hard".
Common Phrases with 시험
These three show the action, the result and one exam type.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 시험을 보다 | to take an exam |
| 시험에 합격하다 | to pass an exam |
| 중간고사 | midterm exam |
The Mistake to Avoid
English "take" or "do" an exam tempts learners into the wrong verb.
- Wrong: 시험을 해요 or 시험을 먹어요 for "I take an exam".
- Correct: 시험을 봐요, from 시험을 보다.
In a test, 하다 suggests you are running the test on something rather than sitting it, and the verb for eating does not go with 시험 at all.
시험 Compared with Similar Words
Two loanword neighbours exist. 테스트 is used for tests of products or software, and 퀴즈 is a short quiz.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 시험 | exam | This page's word |
| 테스트 | test (loanword) | 테스트 is used for tests of products or software. |
| 퀴즈 | quiz | 퀴즈 is a short quiz. |
Where Does 시험 Come From?
시험 is Sino-Korean, written 試驗 in hanja: 試 (test) plus 驗 (verify).
Before a Korean Class Exam
Two classmates check tomorrow’s Korean exam. They know which test they mean, so the second speaker can answer with just the time.
Mina
내일 한국어 시험이 있어요?
Naeil hangugeo siheomi isseoyo?
Is there a Korean exam tomorrow?
Jun
네, 아홉 시에 봐요.
Ne, ahop sie bwayo.
Yes, we take it at nine.
Mina
시험 범위가 어디까지예요?
Siheom beomwiga eodikkajiyeyo?
What does the exam cover?
Jun
삼 과까지예요.
Sam gwakkajiyeyo.
Up to lesson three.
시험 범위 means the material covered by an exam. 어디까지 asks “up to where”, so the answer can name a lesson, chapter or page. The time answer uses 에 after 아홉 시. 봐요 still means taking the exam here; the classmates are not arranging to watch something.
How Do You Talk about Exam Results?
시험을 잘 보다 means to do well on an exam. The literal pieces suggest “see an exam well”, but the phrase describes performance. 시험을 못 보다 normally means to do badly in a conversation about results. In a conversation about a missed appointment, it can instead mean being unable to take the test. The situation tells you which reading fits.
시험에 합격하다 says you passed an exam with a pass-or-fail result, such as a qualification test. 시험을 잘 보다 says the performance was good without stating an official result. A student can feel they did well before the marks are released. For a school test marked out of a total, 점수, “score”, lets you talk about the actual number.
시험에 떨어지다 is a common way to say “fail an exam”. 떨어지다 literally means “fall” or “drop”; in this phrase, nobody falls physically. Notice that both passing and failing use 시험에, while taking the exam uses 시험을. Learn the particle with the whole phrase.
Where Will You See 시험?
On a school notice, 시험 일정 gives the exam schedule and 시험 범위 gives the material to study. 시험 시간 can mean the scheduled time or the duration, depending on the notice. A start and end time answer a different question from a list of chapters, even though both notices contain 시험.
중간고사 is the midterm and 기말고사 is the final exam. These names identify the place in a school term. 모의고사 is a practice or mock exam. Its purpose is rehearsal, so seeing a score on a 모의고사 does not mean that score is the final qualification result.
시험 is also useful beyond school. 운전면허 시험 is a driving licence test, while 입학시험 is an entrance exam. On these notices, look for the date and place as well as the test name. 시험 alone does not tell you whether the assessment is written, spoken or practical.
Words to Read beside 시험
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 문제 | question; problem | An individual task on the paper, not the whole exam. |
| 답 | answer | What you write or choose for a question. |
| 정답 | correct answer | The accepted answer, rather than any response. |
| 점수 | score | The numerical result of the assessment. |
| 성적 | grades; academic results | Used for results across subjects as well as a single assessment. |
The school vocabulary lesson connects exam words with classes and study. In a classroom, 문제 can refer to a numbered test question; outside that setting, the same word can mean a problem that needs solving.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb completes 시험을 ___ for taking an exam?
- Which phrase asks about the material covered: 시험 범위 or 시험 일정?
- Does 시험을 잘 보다 guarantee an official pass?
Show answers
- 보다; the polite form is 시험을 봐요.
- 시험 범위. 시험 일정 is the schedule.
- No. It describes doing well; 시험에 합격하다 states that someone passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "exam" in Korean?
Say 시험 (siheom).
Which verb goes with 시험?
보다, as in 시험을 보다 (to take an exam). In polite speech: 시험을 봐요.
How do you say "midterm exam"?
중간고사.
How do you say "pass an exam"?
시험에 합격하다. Note the particle 에: you pass "at" the exam in Korean.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: school work school vocabulary groups 시험 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 시험 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the school list is the page for graduation. See the page for graduation.