Key Facts
- Hangul: 번개; Revised Romanization: beongae
- Part of speech: noun
- Syllables: 2 (beon-gae)
- Origin: Native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word; 번쩍 is the sound-symbolic word.
Lightning in Korean: What Does 번개 Mean?
번개 is lightning, the bright flash. It is a neutral everyday word. Korean also has a sound-symbolic word, 번쩍, which imitates the flicker of light and is the root of the verb you see in the example 번개가 번쩍했어요. In casual talk 번개 has a second life as slang for a sudden, spur-of-the-moment meetup, 번개 모임.
How Do You Pronounce 번개?
번개 has two syllables, beon and gae. The vowel in 번 is ㅓ, an open "uh" sound, and the second syllable has the ㅐ vowel, close to the e in bed. Revised Romanization writes beongae. Since 개 starts with ㄱ after the nasal ㄴ, keep the g soft.
Example Sentences with 번개
번개가 쳐요.
Beongaega chyeoyo.
There's lightning.
번개가 쳐요 uses the verb 치다 in its "strike" sense, so the sentence says that lightning is striking. 번개가 is the subject.
번개가 번쩍했어요.
Beongaega beonjjeokaesseoyo.
Lightning flashed.
번쩍했어요 is the past tense of flashing, built on the sound-symbolic 번쩍 from the meaning note. It shows Korean pairing the noun 번개가 with a word that imitates the flicker.
번개와 천둥이 무서워요.
Beongaewa cheondungi museowoyo.
Lightning and thunder are scary.
번개와 천둥이 무서워요 lists the two together with 와, "and". 무서워요 is "are scary". The pair shows the flash and the sound as separate things.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 번개가 치다 | lightning strikes |
| 번개처럼 빠르다 | fast as lightning |
| 번개 모임 | spontaneous meetup |
| 번개를 맞다 | to be struck by lightning |
번개가 치다 is the standard "lightning strikes", and 번개를 맞다 is to be struck by lightning. 번개처럼 빠르다 is "fast as lightning". The informal 번개 모임 is a spontaneous meetup arranged at short notice.
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 번개 for the sound of thunder, as in "I heard the 번개."
Correct: ✓ 천둥 for thunder; 번개 for the flash you see.
Why: 번개 is visual: it is the flash. The sound that follows is 천둥, so a sentence about hearing needs that word.
번개 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 번개 | lightning (the flash) | The word on this page. |
| 천둥 | thunder | The sound, while 번개 is the flash. |
| 벼락 | thunderbolt | A lightning strike hitting something. |
Use 번개 for what you see in the sky and 벼락 when the strike actually hits something on the ground.
Where Does the Word Come From?
번개 is a native Korean word, so it has no hanja. It shares its first syllable with 번쩍, the word for a flash, which makes the pair easy to remember together.
Watching a Storm from Indoors
Two housemates look outside as a storm starts. One notices the flash; the other notices the sound.
Mina
방금 번개 봤어요?
Banggeum beongae bwasseoyo?
Did you see that lightning just now?
Jisu
네. 천둥 소리도 들었어요.
Ne. Cheondung sorido deureosseoyo.
Yes. I heard thunder too.
Mina
창문 닫을까요?
Changmun dadeulkkayo?
Shall I close the window?
Jisu
네. 비가 많이 와요.
Ne. Biga mani wayo.
Yes. It’s raining hard.
번개 봤어요 drops the object marker in conversation. The listener can still identify lightning as the thing seen. 천둥 소리 names the thunder sound explicitly, so the next line naturally uses “heard”.
Weather Reports and Group Chats Use 번개 Differently
In a weather forecast, 번개 belongs beside rain, thunder and wind. The verb 치다 describes lightning occurring; it does not require the speaker to identify an object that was hit. A report mentioning 천둥 and 번개 is describing both the noise and the flash. A lightning symbol on a weather display also points to this weather meaning.
In a hobby group's chat, 번개 모임 means a meetup organized at short notice. A message about meeting for dinner tonight can use 번개 even under a clear sky. Look for a meeting time, a place or an invitation to distinguish this meaning from a storm report. This social use is informal, so “spontaneous meetup” is a better translation than “lightning meeting”.
How Does the Lightning Image Work in Phrases?
번개처럼 빠르다 literally means “fast like lightning”. 처럼 supplies the comparison. People can use the phrase to praise quick movement or a fast response. It describes speed through an image; it makes no precise claim about how fast a person or device moves.
번쩍 describes a sudden flash of brightness. It can accompany lightning, but it also describes other brief flashes, such as a camera flash. The noun 번개 identifies the weather event, while 번쩍 draws attention to the way light appears. Learning the two together helps you understand why the example sentence includes both.
| Korean | Meaning | What it helps you identify |
|---|---|---|
| 비 | rain | Water falling during a storm. |
| 소나기 | shower | A sudden spell of rain; it need not include lightning. |
| 폭풍 | storm | A broader storm event rather than one flash. |
| 예보 | forecast | A prediction, as in a weather forecast. |
The weather vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set. Keep the forecast words separate from the chat meaning: an invitation to a 번개 모임 tells you about how the gathering was arranged, not what weather to expect.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word names the rumble: 번개 or 천둥?
- In a dinner invitation, what does 번개 모임 tell you?
- What does 처럼 contribute to 번개처럼 빠르다?
Show answers
- 천둥 names the rumble; 번개 names the flash.
- The meetup was arranged at short notice.
- It means “like”, creating the comparison “fast as lightning”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "lightning" in Korean?
Lightning in Korean is 번개 (beongae), a noun for the flash of lightning.
How do I say "lightning strikes"?
Say 번개가 치다.
Is 번개 thunder?
No. Thunder is 천둥. 번개 is the flash.
What does 번개 모임 mean?
It is slang for a spontaneous meetup arranged at short notice.
What does 번개처럼 빠르다 mean?
It means as fast as lightning.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean weather vocabulary groups 번개 with rain and wind words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every single-word entry.
- Compare: thunder is the sound that follows the flash.
- See also: rainbow is another sky word to learn next.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks lets you add 번개 to a spaced-repetition set.