Key Facts
- Korean: 물고기, Revised Romanization mulgogi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean (물 + 고기)
- Register: neutral everyday word for a live fish
- Fish as food: 생선
Fish (animal) in Korean: What Does 물고기 Mean?
물고기 means a fish swimming in water: in rivers, the sea, aquariums or a pet tank. Fish as food is 생선.
How Do You Pronounce 물고기?
물고기 has three syllables and is pronounced [물꼬기]. The ㄹ at the end of 물 is a clear l. The first ㄱ becomes tense, like kk, while the second remains plain. Revised Romanization keeps the spelling-based form mulgogi. The National Institute of Korean Language explains this compound tensing in its pronunciation guidance.
Example Sentences with 물고기
물고기가 헤엄쳐요.
Mulgogiga heeomchyeoyo.
The fish swims.
헤엄쳐요 means "swims".
강에 물고기가 많아요.
Gange mulgogiga manayo.
There are many fish in the river.
강에 means "in the river", and 많아요 means "there are many".
저는 물고기를 키워요.
Jeoneun mulgogireul kiwoyo.
I keep fish.
키워요 means "keep" or "raise", the normal verb for pets.
Phrases with 물고기
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 물고기를 잡다 | to catch fish |
| 물고기를 키우다 | to keep fish |
| 금붕어 | goldfish |
| 민물고기 | freshwater fish |
물고기를 잡다 covers fishing for sport or food. 민물고기 adds 민물, fresh water.
A Common Mistake with 물고기
- Wrong: using 물고기 when ordering fish at a restaurant.
- Correct: 생선, or the specific fish name.
물고기 sounds like you are ordering a live animal. On menus and in markets, fish is 생선.
물고기 Compared with 생선 and 고기
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 물고기 | fish (animal) | Alive, in water |
| 생선 | fish (food) | Fish as food |
| 고기 | meat | Meat; does not mean fish on its own |
Looking at a Friend’s Fish Tank
A visitor notices fish in a small tank. The owner answers a question about the number and names the kind of fish.
Visitor
어항에 물고기가 몇 마리 있어요?
Eohange mulgogiga myeot mari isseoyo?
How many fish are in the tank?
Owner
세 마리 있어요.
Se mari isseoyo.
There are three.
Visitor
무슨 물고기예요?
Museun mulgogiyeyo?
What kind of fish are they?
Owner
금붕어예요. 제가 키워요.
Geumbungeoyeyo. Jega kiwoyo.
They are goldfish. I keep them.
몇 마리 asks how many animals there are. The reply uses 세, the counting form of 셋, before 마리. 물고기 can name one fish or several without adding 들; the number already makes the quantity clear.
무슨 물고기 asks for the kind of fish, not its number. The answer 금붕어 gives a species name. 제가 키워요 tells the visitor who keeps the fish, which is different from simply saying that fish happen to be present in the tank.
Counting Fish and Describing a Tank
Use 마리 for individual fish: 한 마리 is one, 두 마리 is two and 세 마리 is three. In the dialogue, the owner can reply with only the number and 있어요 because 물고기 is already the topic. Saying 세 마리 does not require repeating the animal's name.
어항 means a fish tank or bowl. 수족관 can mean an aquarium, including a place where visitors view aquatic animals. For a friend's small home tank, 어항 is the clear everyday choice. The phrase 어항에 물고기가 있어요 describes fish in that tank; 에 identifies their location.
물고기가 헤엄쳐요 describes swimming. 물고기를 키워요 describes keeping or raising fish. Notice the change from 가 to 를: the fish does the swimming, while the owner does the keeping. The noun stays the same because both sentences concern the animal.
A Fish in Water: a Familiar Figurative Image
물 만난 고기 literally means a fish that has found water. Used about a person, it describes someone in a setting where they can flourish or use their abilities freely. A normally quiet friend who becomes lively on stage might be described with this image.
Here 고기 means fish within a fixed expression, even though 고기 usually means meat on a menu.
Where Will You Hear or See 물고기?
Children's books, aquarium conversations and nature descriptions use 물고기 as the everyday animal word. A sign may use 어류, a more technical word for fish as a group. 물고기 remains the natural starting point when pointing out an animal swimming past a window.
민물고기 means freshwater fish. 민물 names fresh water rather than seawater; it does not mean water that was recently poured into a tank. This compound classifies fish by their environment, whereas 금붕어 names a particular kind of fish.
The animal-versus-food distinction is a useful starting point, but it concerns how the fish is being discussed. A fish just caught on a line can still be 물고기 because the story is about catching an animal. A food conversation can use 생선 before anyone has cooked it. Listen for the activity as well as the location.
Words around a Fish Tank
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 어항 | fish tank / bowl | The container used in the dialogue. |
| 먹이 | animal food / feed | Food given to fish or other animals. |
| 지느러미 | fin | A body part used for swimming and balance. |
| 꼬리 | tail | Names the rear part of the animal. |
The animal vocabulary lesson teaches the broader set. Use 물고기 to identify the animal first, then add a species name or body-part word when you need more detail.
Quick Self-Test
- Which counter belongs in 물고기 세 ____?
- What does 물 만난 고기 suggest about a person?
- Can a fish on a fishing line still be called 물고기?
Show answers
- 마리, the animal counter.
- The person is in an environment where they can flourish.
- Yes. The speaker can still be describing the fish as an animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Fish in Korean?
It depends on whether the fish is alive. A live fish swimming in a river, tank or sea is 물고기 (mulgogi). Fish as food, at the market or on a menu, is 생선. Learners need both words, and choosing the wrong one sounds odd to Korean ears.
What Is the Difference between 물고기 and 생선?
물고기 is a fish as an animal: in the water, in an aquarium, on a fishing line. 생선 is fish as food: at the fish market, grilled at dinner or in a stew. When you order or cook, use 생선 or the name of the specific fish.
Does 고기 Mean Fish?
Not on its own. 고기 normally means meat, especially beef or pork. It appears inside 물고기, literally "water meat", but if you say 고기 alone at a restaurant, people will think of meat, not fish. Use 생선 for fish as food.
How Do You Say Goldfish in Korean?
A goldfish is 금붕어. It is a common first pet in Korea, and you can say you keep one with 물고기를 키우다, "to keep fish". Freshwater fish in general are 민물고기, from 민물, fresh water, plus 물고기.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more animal words.
- Find more single words like fish (the animal) in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Review fish (the animal) (물고기) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.