Key Facts
- Hangul: 1월 (일월); Revised Romanization: irwol
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Hanja: 一月 (一 one + 月 month)
- Register: Neutral, standard month name.
January in Korean: What Does 1월 (일월) Mean?
1월 is the standard neutral month name. It is usually written with the digit and read 일월. Two nearby words are worth knowing: 정월, the traditional name for the first month of the lunar calendar, and 새해, the new year as an event rather than a month.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, il and wol. The ㄹ of 일 moves into the next syllable, which starts with a vowel sound, so it is said i-rwol. That link is why the romanization is irwol, with r: in Revised Romanization ㄹ is written r before a vowel.
Example Sentences with 1월 (일월)
1월에 눈이 많이 와요.
Irwore nuni mani wayo
It snows a lot in January.
눈이 많이 와요 means it snows a lot (literally, snow comes a lot). 에 after the month says when.
제 생일은 1월이에요.
Je saengireun irworieyo
My birthday is in January.
생일 is birthday, and 이에요 is the polite "is". Korean says "my birthday is January", with no word for in.
1월 1일은 새해예요.
Irwol irireun saehaeyeyo
January 1 is New Year's Day.
1월 1일 means January 1, read irwol iril. 새해예요 identifies the day as the start of the new year.
Collocations
These phrases cover the date, the part of the month and the year.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1월에 | in January |
| 1월 1일 | January 1st |
| 1월 초 | early January |
| 새해 1월 | January of the new year |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 하나월
Correct: ✓ 일월, written 1월
Why: months always use the Sino-Korean numbers, where one is 일, never the native ones, where one is 하나. Also keep the two counters apart: 1월 is January, while 1일 is the first day of a month.
1월 (일월) Compared with Similar Words
Three nearby words are about the new year or the month in general.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 정월 | first lunar month | 정월 is the traditional name for the first month of the lunar calendar, not the solar January. |
| 새해 | new year | 새해 is the new year as an event, not the name of the month. |
| 월 | month | 월 is the month counter that every month name ends in. |
Background
1월 is Sino-Korean, written 一月: 一 means one and 月 means month. Korea marks January 1 (신정) as a one-day public holiday, but the bigger celebration is the Lunar New Year (설날), which falls in late January or February.
Making a January Appointment
A student arranges a meeting with a tutor. They choose a month first and then narrow it to a day. Both speakers use polite endings.
Student
1월에 시간 있어요?
Irwore sigan isseoyo?
Do you have time in January?
Tutor
네, 1월 초에 괜찮아요.
Ne, irwol choe gwaenchanayo.
Yes, early January works for me.
Student
1월 5일은 어때요?
Irwol oireun eottaeyo?
How about January fifth?
Tutor
좋아요. 그날 만나요.
Joayo. Geunal mannayo.
Sounds good. Let’s meet that day.
1월 초 gives a rough part of the month; 1월 5일 gives a calendar date. The 은 after the date presents it as a suggestion. 그날 means “that day”, so the tutor does not need to repeat the full date.
Useful Phrases for Planning in January
1월 초 means early January, 1월 중순 means mid-January, and 1월 말 means late January or the end of January. These phrases give an approximate period rather than one fixed date. Use a numbered day when a booking or meeting requires an exact answer.
1월부터 means “from January”, and 1월까지 means “until January” or “through January”, depending on context. Attach 부터 and 까지 directly to the month. A deadline needs a specific day and time if the last possible moment matters.
1월 말까지 means “by the end of January”. The space comes before 말, while 까지 attaches to 말. Compare 1월에, “in January”, which says when an event happens without giving it the meaning of a deadline.
올해 1월 means “January this year”; 내년 1월 means “January next year”. These are useful when planning across December and January, where the month alone can leave the year unclear. In a written appointment, include the year if the surrounding conversation does not establish it.
Where Will You See 1월?
1월 appears on calendars, booking forms, opening schedules and event notices. The number and 월 are written together. A full date has a space between the month and day, as in 1월 5일. Korean date order places the year before the month when both are included.
일월 is the reading of 1월, while 일요일 means Sunday. Similar beginnings do not make them the same calendar unit. 월요일 means Monday, with 요일 marking a day of the week. On a schedule, check whether you are reading a month number or a weekday label.
| Related expression | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 2월 | February | The next calendar month. |
| 한 달 | one month | A duration, rather than January. |
| 이번 달 | this month | The current month, whatever its name. |
| 다음 달 | next month | A relative month, which changes with the date. |
The months lesson shows the full set of numbered month names. Use 1월 for January and 한 달 when describing how long something lasts.
Quick Self-Test
- Which expression means mid-January?
- Does 한 달 mean January or a duration of one month?
- How do you write January fifth with the month and day?
Show answers
- 1월 중순.
- It means a duration of one month. January is 1월.
- 1월 5일, with a space between the month and day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "January" in Korean?
Write 1월 and read it 일월 (irwol), pronounced i-rwol. It is the Sino-Korean number one plus 월, month.
How do you say "in January"?
Add the time particle 에 to get 1월에, as in 1월에 눈이 많이 와요 (It snows a lot in January).
How do you say "January 1"?
Write 1월 1일 and read it irwol iril. Korean dates run from big to small: month first, then day.
What is the traditional name for the first lunar month?
It is 정월. It refers to the lunar calendar, so 정월 usually overlaps with late January and February rather than matching 1월 exactly.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Month words lists 1월 with the other months.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- The next month: February in Korean.
- The month counter itself: month in Korean.