Key Facts
- Hangul: 달; Revised Romanization: dal
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral, everyday word; 달 also means "month"
Moon in Korean: What Does 달 Mean?
달 has two senses: the moon and a month. The words around it tell you which one is meant. A verb such as 뜨다 (to rise) or a word such as 보름달 (full moon) points to the sky. A number in front, as in 한 달 (one month), points to time.
For months in dates, Korean uses a different word, 월, after the number: 3월 is March. The native 달 is used for counting how long something lasts, as in 한 달.
How Do You Pronounce 달?
One syllable, dal. The ㄷ at the start is a soft d with almost no puff of air, the vowel is an open "a" as in "father", and the final ㄹ is a light l with the tongue tip touching behind the upper teeth. Before a vowel, the ㄹ links forward and sounds like a quick r: 달이 is [da-ri].
Example Sentences with 달
달이 밝아요.
Dari balgayo.
The moon is bright.
밝아요 means "is bright". Notice the romanization dari: the ㄹ joins the particle and becomes an r sound.
오늘 밤에 달이 떠요.
Oneul bame dari tteoyo.
The moon rises tonight.
오늘 밤에 means "tonight" (literally "today at night"), and 떠요 is the polite present form of 뜨다, "to rise".
보름달이 예뻐요.
Boreumdari yeppeoyo.
The full moon is pretty.
보름달 is the full moon. 보름 refers to the fifteenth day of the lunar month, when the moon is full.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 달이 뜨다 | the moon rises |
| 보름달 | full moon |
| 초승달 | crescent moon |
| 달빛 | moonlight |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: reading 한 달 as "one moon".
Correct: 한 달 means "one month". When 달 follows a number, it is about time; 달이 뜨다 is the moon rising.
달 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 달 | moon | This page's word |
| 달 (month) | month (native counter) | The same word, used after native numbers: 한 달 is one month |
| 월 | month | Sino-Korean, used in dates after the number: 3월 |
Where Does the Word Come From?
달 is native Korean and has no hanja form.
Cultural Note
The full moon is central to Chuseok, the autumn harvest holiday, and Koreans traditionally make a wish to it.
Looking at the Moon after Dinner
Two friends step outside and notice the moon. One suggests taking a photo.
Ara
오늘 달이 정말 밝아요.
Oneul dari jeongmal balgayo.
The moon is really bright today.
Bo
그러네요. 보름달이에요.
Geureoneyo. Boreumdarieyo.
You’re right. It’s a full moon.
Ara
달 사진을 찍을까요?
Dal sajineul jjigeulkkayo?
Shall we take a photo of the moon?
Bo
좋아요. 여기서 찍어요.
Joayo. Yeogiseo jjigeoyo.
Sure. Let’s take it here.
달 사진 is a photo of the moon: the first noun describes the subject of the photo. 보름달이에요 identifies the phase. Because the conversation is about something bright in the sky, neither listener would interpret 달 as a month-long duration here.
Which Words Describe the Moon’s Shape and Light?
보름달 names the full, round moon. 초승달 names the early lunar month’s crescent. 반달 means a half-moon, with 반 meaning “half”. These are everyday shape words you may hear while someone points out the moon, not just vocabulary from a science lesson.
달빛 is moonlight, the light associated with the moon rather than the object itself. A description of a bright path at night may mention 달빛 even if the moon is outside the picture. 달빛 is one word; 달 사진, a photograph of the moon, is a two-word noun phrase.
달이 뜨다 describes the moon rising. 달이 지다 describes it setting. Both phrases focus on the moon’s movement across the sky. They do not tell you its phase: a sentence about the moon rising may concern a crescent, a half-moon or a full moon.
Where Will You Hear 달 in Stories and Everyday Talk?
Friends use 달 when looking at the sky, and children learn it beside 해, “sun”, and 별, “star”. A picture book may show all three without using the more technical 태양 for the sun. For an ordinary comment about a bright moon, 달 is the natural everyday noun.
달 and 달빛 also appear in song lyrics and drama scenes about nighttime walks or missing someone. The surrounding story may give moonlight a romantic mood, but the word itself simply means moonlight. A factual description of an outdoor scene can use it just as naturally.
Around Chuseok, references to 보름달 connect the moon with the holiday’s familiar full-moon image. A wish made while looking at it is a cultural practice rather than part of the noun’s meaning. Knowing 보름달 helps you recognize that image without needing a different holiday word for the moon.
When Does 달 Mean Time Instead?
한 달 is one month and 두 달 is two months. 이번 달 means “this month”, and 다음 달 means “next month”. In these expressions the surrounding number or time word directs you toward the calendar. You can talk about this month’s full moon using both senses in the same conversation.
The comparison is especially useful with 월. 3월 means March, while 세 달 means three months. Neither phrase means three moons in normal date or duration talk. When the intended meaning is the object in the sky, a description such as 달이 밝아요 makes that clear.
Words for the Night Sky
| Korean | Meaning | One useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 해 | sun | The everyday counterpart to 달. |
| 별 | star | Another object you may point out at night. |
| 하늘 | sky | Where you see the moon and stars. |
| 밤하늘 | night sky | Written as one word. |
The landscape and nature lesson gives you words for the surrounding scene. 하늘 names the sky generally; 밤하늘 adds that it is nighttime. The extra detail helps set the scene without changing the word for moon.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 한 달 usually mean one moon or one month?
- Which word means moonlight rather than the moon itself?
- What does 달이 지다 describe?
Show answers
- One month.
- 달빛 means moonlight.
- The moon setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "moon" in Korean?
Say 달 (dal).
Does 달 also mean month?
Yes. 한 달 means one month. For months in dates, use 월 instead, as in 3월 (March).
What is a full moon called in Korean?
A full moon is 보름달.
What does 초승달 mean?
초승달 is the crescent moon seen in the first days of the lunar month.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: landscape and nature words groups 달 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Read next: star.