Key Facts
- Hangul: 하트; Revised Romanization: hateu
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword from English
- Register: Neutral and casual; the shape/symbol, from English 'heart'.
Heart Shape in Korean: What Does 하트 Mean?
하트 has two senses, heart shape and heart symbol. It is a casual, neutral loanword from English heart. It covers what you draw or send, such as an emoticon.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, ha-teu. The word ends in the eu vowel, so it is not pronounced like the English word heart, which ends in t.
Example Sentences with 하트
하트를 그렸어요.
Hateureul geuryeosseoyo.
I drew a heart.
The verb 그렸어요 is the past tense of drawing, so the heart is a picture here.
친구가 하트 이모티콘을 보냈어요.
Chinguga hateu imotikoneul bonaesseoyo.
My friend sent a heart emoticon.
이모티콘 is a loanword too, and 보냈어요 means sent.
케이크에 하트 모양이 있어요.
Keikeue hateu moyangi isseoyo.
There is a heart shape on the cake.
모양 means shape, and the cake detail makes the heart a decoration.
Collocations
Besides drawing the shape, 손가락 하트 is the finger heart gesture.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 하트를 그리다 | to draw a heart |
| 하트 모양 | heart shape |
| 손가락 하트 | finger heart |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 하트 for the heart in your chest, or for your feelings.
Correct: the organ is 심장 and the emotional heart is 마음. 하트 is only the shape or symbol.
하트 Compared with Similar Words
심장 is the heart organ, 마음 is the emotional heart or mind, and 사랑 is love itself, the feeling the symbol represents.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 하트 | heart shape | This page's word |
| 심장 | heart (organ) | The body organ; 하트 is the symbol. |
| 마음 | heart / mind | Emotional heart, not the shape. |
| 사랑 | love | The feeling the heart symbol represents. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
하트 is a loanword from English heart, with no hanja.
Cultural Note
In Korea, a small finger heart, made by crossing the tips of the thumb and index finger, is a popular gesture to show affection, especially in photos and at fan events.
Taking a Photo: Asking for a Finger Heart
One friend is taking a picture of another. The request concerns a pose, so 하트 means a visible gesture.
Photographer
사진 찍을게요. 하트 해 주세요.
Sajin jjigeulgeyo. Hateu hae juseyo.
I’ll take the photo. Please make a heart.
Friend
손가락 하트요?
Songarak hateuyo?
A finger heart?
Photographer
네, 좋아요. 웃어 주세요.
Ne, joayo. Useo juseyo.
Yes, that’s good. Please smile.
Friend
이렇게요?
Ireokeyo?
Like this?
하트 해 주세요 is a short request to make a heart gesture. The friend checks the type by naming 손가락 하트 and adding 요. This brief clarification is natural when the action is already clear. 이렇게요 asks whether the pose looks right, without repeating the whole request.
Phrases for Hearts You Draw, Send, and Make
하트를 그리다 means to draw a heart. The object marker 를 attaches directly to 하트. Use it for a drawing on paper, a card, or a screen. The first example above shows the completed action with 그렸어요.
하트를 보내다 means to send a heart. In a messaging conversation, the thing sent is usually a symbol, sticker, or reaction. The second example names the item more fully as 하트 이모티콘. Korean speakers use 이모티콘 broadly in messaging, including for pictures and stickers that English speakers may label differently.
하트를 누르다 means to press or tap the heart. On an app, the heart may mark a like or a favorite, depending on the interface. The verb 누르다 tells you that someone is interacting with a button. 하트를 보내다 instead describes sending something to another person.
하트를 만들다 means to make a heart. At a photo session, the hands supply the shape. With paper, icing, or craft materials, the same phrase can describe making a physical decoration. The material or setting supplies the difference.
How Does 하트 모양 Describe an Object?
하트 모양 means “heart shape”. Put it before an object to describe the outline: 하트 모양 풍선 is a heart-shaped balloon, and 하트 모양 쿠키 is a heart-shaped cookie. The words describe appearance, without saying that the object is about romance.
Keep 하트 and 모양 separate in this phrase. 하트 모양이 있어요, from the cake example, says that a heart shape is present. A heart-shaped cake and a cake with a heart decoration could look quite different, so name the object and its decoration clearly when ordering.
색깔 means color. In a shop, 빨간 하트, “a red heart”, can identify a particular design among several colors. The color word describes the symbol itself; it does not tell you what the sender feels.
Where Will You Hear or See 하트?
Photo directions, fan-event clips, craft instructions, and messaging conversations are natural places to meet 하트. In a video, the gesture may explain a short line such as 하트 해 주세요 before you understand every word.
A heart reaction can express thanks, encouragement, affection, or simple approval. Its meaning depends on the people and the message. Seeing a heart beside a friend's reply is not enough to conclude that the friend is making a romantic confession.
하트 is familiar and casual, but you can still use it inside a polite request. 주세요 makes the photographer's request polite. For a medical conversation about the organ, use 심장; for someone's feelings or intentions, 마음 is often the word you need.
Words for Describing Symbols and Shapes
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 모양 | shape / appearance | Describes the outline or form. |
| 동그라미 | circle | Useful for a drawn round shape. |
| 별 | star | Can name a star symbol in a design. |
| 손가락 | finger | Names the body part in 손가락 하트. |
The shapes vocabulary lesson teaches other outlines you can recognize in pictures or ask for in a design. Learn the shape with 모양 so you can describe a decoration rather than only name it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word names the heart organ: 하트 or 심장?
- What does 하트를 누르다 describe on an app?
- Does a heart reaction always mean romantic love?
Show answers
- 심장. 하트 names the symbol or shape.
- Pressing or tapping the heart button.
- No. It can also show thanks, encouragement, or approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say heart shape in Korean?
Say 하트 (hateu).
Is 하트 the organ?
No. The organ is 심장.
What is the emotional heart called?
It is 마음.
What is a finger heart?
It is 손가락 하트.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean shapes vocabulary groups 하트 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.