Key Facts
- Hangul: 무릎; Revised Romanization: mureup
- Syllables: 2
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Knee in Korean: What Does 무릎 Mean?
The sense is knee. The register is neutral and everyday. A second use is the lap, the top of the thighs when you sit, so the same word works in a sentence about holding a child. The set phrase 무릎을 꿇다 means to kneel and often to submit. 다리 is the whole leg, so the knee is one part of it.
How Do You Pronounce 무릎?
Two syllables, mu-reup. The word ends in ㅍ, an aspirated p, which is said as a closed, unreleased p when nothing follows. When 이 follows, ㅍ moves across and is released with its full puff of air: 무릎이 is said mu-reu-pi. That is the trap in this word.
Example Sentences with 무릎
무릎이 아파요.
Mureupi apayo.
My knee hurts.
The knee hurts. 아파요 is the polite form of hurt, and the final consonant links into the particle: mu-reu-pi.
무릎을 꿇었어요.
Mureupeul kkureosseoyo.
He knelt down.
The set phrase for kneeling, in the past. 꿇었어요 means knelt, and the sentence is about a person kneeling down.
무릎 위에 앉으세요.
Mureup wie anjeuseyo.
Please sit on my lap.
The word means lap here. 위에 is on top of, and 앉으세요 is a polite request to sit.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations show the kneeling phrase, a sensation of cold in the joint and a lap blanket.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 무릎을 꿇다 | to kneel |
| 무릎이 시리다 | to have chilly, aching knees |
| 무릎 담요 | lap blanket |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ Saying mu-reup-i, with the p left at the end.
Correct: ✓ Saying mu-reu-pi, with the p linked to the next syllable.
Why: Before a vowel particle the final consonant moves to the start of the next syllable. 무릎이 is therefore said mu-reu-pi, not mu-reup-i.
무릎 Compared with Similar Words
Two nearby words cover the lap sense and the bigger body part.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 무릎 | knee | The word on this page. |
| 무릎 (lap) | lap | The same word, used for the lap when sitting. |
| 다리 | leg | The whole leg. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
무릎 is a native Korean word with no hanja form.
At the Clinic: Describing Knee Pain
A patient has knee pain when walking. The doctor asks for the side first, then the movement that brings on the pain.
Doctor
어느 쪽 무릎이 아파요?
Eoneu jjok mureupi apayo?
Which knee hurts?
Patient
오른쪽 무릎이 아파요.
Oreunjjok mureupi apayo.
My right knee hurts.
Doctor
걸을 때 아파요?
Georeul ttae apayo?
Does it hurt when you walk?
Patient
네, 계단을 올라갈 때도 아파요.
Ne, gyedaneul ollagal ttaedo apayo.
Yes, it also hurts when I go up stairs.
오른쪽 means the right side; 왼쪽 means the left side. Put either before 무릎 to say which knee you mean. The patient leaves out “my” because the situation makes the owner clear. In a conversation about a child or another person, name that person first so the listener knows whose knee hurts.
The question with 걸을 때 asks about walking. The reply with 계단 adds stairs, giving more detail than repeating that the knee hurts. 아파요 reports pain; it does not identify an injury or its cause. This makes it useful when you can describe a feeling but do not know a diagnosis.
When Does 무릎 Mean a Lap?
Look at the action and the position. Pain, bending and kneeling usually concern the joint. A child sitting on someone, a cat resting there, or a blanket covering a seated person usually points to the lap. English separates “knee” and “lap”; Korean often lets the surrounding words carry that difference.
무릎 담요 literally combines “knee/lap” and “blanket”. It names a small blanket placed over the lap, such as one used at a desk. It does not mean a medical bandage for a knee. You may see the phrase in shops selling office or winter goods.
Kneeling and Giving In
무릎을 꿇다 can describe physically getting down on your knees. In a drama, an apology scene may involve someone doing exactly that. In a figurative use, the same phrase can mean surrendering or submitting to another person. A sports report can use the kneeling image for a defeat even when no player actually kneels.
The object marker 을 belongs on 무릎 in this set phrase. Compare it with 무릎이 아파요: 이 marks the knee as the part that hurts, while 을 marks it in the action of kneeling. Learning the whole phrase helps you keep the two patterns apart.
무릎을 치다 literally means to slap your knee. It can describe a sudden realization or an impressed reaction, rather like “Aha!” in English. A character who finally understands a clue might do this; it is not another expression for knee pain.
Nearby Body Words
| Korean | Meaning | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| 다리 | leg | Name the whole limb rather than the joint. |
| 허벅지 | thigh | Identify the area above the knee. |
| 종아리 | calf | Identify the back of the lower leg. |
| 발목 | ankle | Name the joint just above the foot. |
The body vocabulary lesson teaches these words together. In exercise instructions, distinguishing the knee from the ankle helps you follow which joint should bend. In a clinic, the same distinction helps you point out a smaller area.
Quick Self-Test
- How would you specify the right knee?
- Does 무릎 담요 name a bandage?
- Can 무릎을 꿇다 describe giving in without literal kneeling?
Show answers
- Use 오른쪽 무릎.
- No. It means a lap blanket.
- Yes. It can mean submitting or surrendering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "knee" in Korean?
Knee in Korean is 무릎 (mureup).
How do you say "my knee hurts"?
Say 무릎이 아파요.
How do you say "kneel" in Korean?
Say 무릎을 꿇다.
What is the difference between 무릎 and 다리?
다리 is the whole leg, and 무릎 is the knee joint.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean body vocabulary groups 무릎 with related words.
- Index: look up more words near "knee" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 무릎 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word in the list: leg.